Return to Me
by RavenSparrow
Summary: Ava is the Chalice, the soul mate to the Avatar. What happens when Aang awakens and realizes that his people are gone? Follows the series, but a more mature version.
1. Prologue: Reunited

Avatar

In the Beginning

For thousands of years there has always been the Avatar, the soul of nature that is reincarnated into the world over and over, each life different than before, never repeating itself. The Avatar has been born into each of the four nations more than once and probably close to a hundred times each. The soul has been male and female, knowing the trials and errors of each sex. Yet there is another soul that has wandered the world just as long as the Avatar. This soul is called the Chalice.

The Chalice is the human spirit incarnate. This soul is normally the opposite in appearance and personality from the Avatar. It is the universal equal to its opposite and can often be found with the Avatar. In most instances, these two become lovers. They have been together since before there was time, the Chalice balances the Avatar as the Avatar balances the world. The task for both souls in the world is tiring and hard, but together they help each other through and complete their destinies.

There is an order that helps keep the Chalice safe from the world, because of the bond that is formed between the Avatar and this soul often renders both somewhat weak. Many men have sought the Chalice to make the Avatar useless. This order was named after the favorite flower of the very first Chalice. A lotus blossom is the emblem of this order reminding man of the beauty and humility of the world. The order watches over the Chalice until the Chalice is fully realized. Once the Chalice is fully realized, their main duty is to unite the Avatar with the Chalice.

"Do I have to keep reading this, Gyatso?" Aang was bored of reading about Avatar duties. The highest monk decided it was best that he began learning about his role in the world as the Avatar and what to expect, in some way. He had only found out that he was the Avatar a couple days ago.

"I think you deserve a break for a while my young pupil. I think the elder monks forget sometimes that you are still a child", the old monk sighed. He was still furious about their choice to tell Aang before his 16th birthday. Never had an Avatar been told this young due to the risk of causing spiritual doubt in the young soul. It was obvious that Aang was feeling doubtful of everything lately.

"Maybe they made a mistake?" the young boy seemed to be begging his master for an answer that was obviously not there. He was hoping to be told that it was a possibility, but there was a simple huff as Gyatso spoke his mind.

"I think it's time you met someone. She is ready to be with you", Gyatso smiled, knowing that the Western temple was growing anxious about bringing the young girl he was speaking about, to be with Aang.

"Let me guess, the Chalice?" Aang mumbled. He was past being the Avatar and all of the duties that came with it.

"Aang, please understand. There are things in this world that no textbook can explain. There are several responsibilities with being the Avatar, but there are a few perks as well…" the monk hinted.

"Like what?" the younger airbender had to admit that the old man knew how to peak his interest.

"Well, for one you get to travel the world. You will learn from each of the other three nations. You will master water, earth, and fire. Each is a disciplined experience but you will meet new people. Another great perk is all the pretty girls…" Gyatso laughed.

"Lecher!" Aang laughed.

"I will send word to the Western temple. I think it's time you finally met Ava", the elder monk smiled, "I think the two of you will be getting along quite well."

A few weeks later the monks from the Western temple arrived with the young girl named Ava. There was a formal ceremony welcoming her and her chaperones. It then led to a procession that went to the highest point of the Southern temple where Aang was waiting to meet her. Gyatso encouraged Aang to present her with a flower, a lotus blossom, that he had one of his trained flying lemurs procure.

Aang had to admit that he was very excited and also very nervous about meeting someone new. Gyatso told him that this person knew how he felt since the others knew he was the Avatar. She would be his companion and he would be hers. There would be no separation; even the monks had no control over the bond that the two of them were to form. Yet Aang was nervous mostly because of the pressure for him and this girl named Ava to get along. What if they didn't? Gyatso said that they would most likely click, like two souls who had been searching for each other.

When she reached the end of the trail leading up to the gazebo where the young Avatar and his mentor waited, Aang couldn't help but catch his breath. She was simply beautiful. Her long dark hair was in a braid that laid across the front of her chest on the right side. It was nearly to her waist. There were lotus blossoms in her hair and she wore a white dress that fluttered in the wind. It was not a fancy dress but enough to catch his eye. She was being escorted by the high monk from the Western temple.

When they reached the gazebo, the young girl looked up into the Avatar's face. Her brown eyes were twinkling with amusement. In that moment, Aang felt like he would never be alone. Ava was here and he was complete.


	2. Chapter One: Separation

Return to Me

Chapter One:

Separation

It had been a few weeks since Aang had been introduced to Ava and it still amazed the pair how their mentors had been right about their connection. They had not been separated a day since they were introduced with the exception of their sleeping quarters. The only confusing part about the whole transition was the fact that both Aang and Ava were basically told to do the opposite of what they had been taught all of their lives so far: separating themselves from the world and others to reach spiritual enlightenment.

"Don't you find it odd?" Aang questioned the young girl as they sat on the terrace overlooking the others training.

"Enjoy it now. Eventually we are going to be groomed to be shipped off somewhere else for your training soon. I am surprised they haven't tried to yet, considering that one monk was adamant about you not playing with the others and the speech he gave them!" Ava scoffed. She knew it had really hurt the young boy's feelings when he had been told by someone he thought was a friend that he could no longer play with them because it wouldn't be fair.

She had already given up on being a child long ago. Sure she was only fourteen but who had time to care about anything else when it had been mandated that her time and effort would be solely to be the companion of the Avatar. She had to admit that she was not looking forward to leaving the Western temple at first, she resented Aang from afar knowing that her life had already been planned for her and it only mirrored the Avatar's needs. Yet when she arrived at the Southern temple six weeks ago, she was actually excited, not to mention flattered by how Aang treated her. She blushed as he put a flower in her hair.

"You don't need to do that, Aang", she mumbled as she got up quickly from her seat on the terrace edge. She gasped as he caught her hand and held onto it.

With sincerity in his eyes, he smiled, "I know, but I want to. You're my best friend, Ava. I want you to stay with me."

The young boy thought he could take the opportunity that presented itself and had been nagging at the back of his mind. He had wanted to kiss her the last few days and he was not sure if it would be acceptable. Sometimes he was not sure if Ava felt what he was feeling.

"If you're going to kiss me Aang, you better do it quick before we both lose our nerves", Ava whispered as she began leaning into his body.

"Kiss you?" Aang shouted. He looked to the ground, quickly embarrassed by the fact that he had made such a commotion. He was ecstatic that Ava was on the same train of thought as he was. He began blushing and smiling like a fool. "I'm sorry. Let's try this again."

The pair began to lean into each other and were inches away from their lips finally touching when Gyatso appeared from his rooms.

"Oh, did I interrupt something?" the old monk smiled. He knew that the couple was finally starting to connect and build upon the relationship that would define the both of them during this life. He became quiet as he called Aang to him. "We need to go meet with the higher monks."

"I guess it's finally time", the young Avatar sighed. He knew that it wouldn't be long since Ava arrived that the monks had plans to send him off to train with the Water tribe.

"Have fun", Ava teased, "Do you mind if I take Appa for a ride?"

"It's fine."

Aang noticed that Gyatso was not joking with him on his way to the council as he would normally do. This had the Avatar concerned. His mentor looked worried about something. He was shaken from his thoughts as Gyatso put a hand to his chest to stop him from walking. He had not realized that the monk had quit walking.

"Aang, why don't you wait right here for a moment, hm?" Gyatso smiled.

"Okay."

The monk smiled and began walking to the courtyard that was surrounded by vines. The council was already convened. He knew what was going on. The other day he had overridden one of the elder monk's decisions about Aang's training. He had made it very clear that he was Aang's guardian and that the child had a right to be exactly that: a child.

"It has come to our attention Gyatso that Aang MUST start assuming his role as Avatar. With this being said we must remove Aang from your care and send him to the Western temple", the lead monk simply stated.

"You would separate Ava from Aang?" Gyatso accused, "You cannot separate the two, we have seen what that could do to them both in the past."

"We believe Aang may not have been ready to be united with Ava", the head monk sighed, " She will be removed to the Eastern temple until after he is a realized Avatar."

"You cannot do this. I will not allow you to separate them or take them from me", Gyatso growled as he stood up and began to walk away. He was going to let both children know what was going on.

Aang stood in shock for a moment from his hiding place amongst the trees. They were not only going to take him away from his father figure, but they were going to separate him from his best friend as well. They had no idea what this meant for Aang. He would be alone with no one because everyone would avoid him due to his role in the world. He wanted to at least have Ava with him and now, now he would be separated from her for years. He was not going to be alone.

Later on that night he tried to get with Ava to let her in on his plan on both of them leaving the temple and going wherever they needed to, but he was not able to see her before it was time to go to bed. He wrote two letters, one addressed to Gyatso and the other addressed to Ava. He told Ava where to meet him late one night so that he could pick her up and they could leave all of it behind. They could be normal, he would not be the Avatar and she would not be the Chalice.

But Aang never showed up that night. Ava was in complete disbelief. How could he not come back? Something had to have happened. Something was wrong. There was a dramatic change coming and Gyatso was preparing her for it. He was sending her to the island of Kyoshi. She had planned on seeing it with Aang as well as riding the Elephant Koi fish. It was a bittersweet thought as she packed to leave for the island.

It had been three weeks since she last saw Aang, and she missed him terribly. She was getting to ready to walk out of her sleeping quarters when Gyatso ran into her.

"Ava, my dear, we must leave. NOW!" He grabbed her arm and began running her down the corridors to one of the sky bison who was waiting for her to take her to Kyoshi.

"Gyatso! What's going on?", she was panicked. The look on the monk's face was terrifying.

"You must go to Kyoshi. Stay there until Bhumi comes to get you, do you remember Bhumi?" He was rushing through his explanation.

"Yes, but why do I need to wait for Bhumi to come get me?" Ava was confused. It was then she saw the orange glow coming up over the peaks heading towards the temple. Flames began licking over the tops of the mountains. Her eyes were getting larger as realization hit her. The Fire nation was here and they were destroying the Air Nomads' mountains.

"Gyatso, come with me", she begged.

"I cannot my pupil. I must stay here and help get others out of here. Go now!" he sent the sky bison away.

Ava watched as the temple was engulfed in flames. Tears fell down her face and everything she knew, everything she loved was lost forever. Where was Aang?

'Come back to me', she thought, 'come back to me.'


	3. Century Old

Avatar

Return to Me

Chapter Two: Century Old

It had been over a hundred years since the Air Nomads had been wiped out. A hundred years since the Fire Nation had staked its claim in the world. Tyranny ruled the day and it seemed that the pyro fanatics had almost achieved their sadistic goal. Anger was all she felt now and nothing could keep her from feeling it.

Ava was sitting on the terrace overlooking Omashu. She was lounging in a couch, curled up with a scroll from the Great Library, buried in a blanket. She hated nights like this when all she could think about was the past. Had it really been that long? She had done as Gyatso asked her and went to Kyoshi, she waited for Bhumi, and unlike Aang, he had shown up.

'Speak of the devil', she smiled to herself as the elderly man made his way to her couch.

"Ava, my dear, what are you doing just sitting here?" he questioned as he sat at the end of the couch. "Everyone is waiting for you at the feast."

"Every year we celebrate being free of the Fire Nation's rule and every year I tell you the same thing, I am not attending", Ava annoyingly stated.

"You can't keep saying no on this subject", Bhumi laughed.

"You think you would be used to it by now", she muttered, "Besides, I am to be the great granddaughter of the young girl who used to stay here, and have the same name?"

"You know as well as I that we don't know why you haven't aged a day in over a hundred years. Be grateful, girl!" the old man scoffed.

"You try being stuck in a teenager's body, never growing old and watching all of those you come to care for die while you know nothing about why you can't!" Ava shouted. She didn't care to keep herself a secret anymore.

"Please be reasonable, Ava. If anyone were to find out who you really are, then…"

"What, Bhumi? They'll use it against the Avatar?" she growled, "Aang is dead. It's been too long since anyone in the ENTIRE world has seen him."

"Then why are you still here? I know in all the texts that we have read from the Great Library there is not one that says that the Chalice survives so long after the Avatar has left this world, nor the other way around", Bhumi reminded.

"Please, Bhumi…not tonight", Ava was exhausted trying to figure out why she had lingered, while Aang's whereabouts were unknown. As she got up off the couch she patted her old friend's back and told him she was retiring for the night.

* * *

><p>"Katara! Calm down!" Sokka begged his sister. He knew that she was not aware that her anger was increasing her waterbending abilities by tenfold behind her and dangerously close to the little iceberg that he had stranded them on.<p>

"I will not calm down!" the young girl ranted, "Ever since mom died I have been doing EVERYTHING at home! Even the laundry! Have you even smelled your dirty socks? They're DISGUSTING! I am not helping you anymore, from now on you're on your OWN!"

The last shouting of her voice made the bigger iceberg finally collapse. The two were shaken and roughed around a bit on their miniature refuge spot before the water began to finally start calming down from the break that disturbed it.

"Did I do that?" Katara asked in amazement. She was never able to do that before.

"Yeah, you went from being strange to freakish, Katara", Sokka commented as he looked down into the water. It was glowing. Something was coming up from the sea floor.

A circular formed iceberg began emerging from the water. The two siblings held onto each other for dear life as it settled before them. Sokka looked to his sister to see if she noticed the abnormality of this as well. The ice was glowing and there seemed to be two figures within. It was then Katara stated that there was a boy in the ice when the human looking being's eyes opened. They were glowing.

"We have to help him!" She called as she grabbed Sokka's hunting club from its sheath on his back and began running towards the ice formation.

"Katara, stop! We don't even know that thing is!", he was right behind her as they made their way over to the boy.

Katara began hitting away at the globe, chipping away ice piece by piece. By the time Sokka reached her she had almost breeched the ice wall. A huge explosion occurred as the ice finally gave into the club. Wind began swarming Sokka and his younger sister as they again held onto each other while a giant beam of light shot into the sky.

* * *

><p>Ava awoke from her sleep early than normal. Something had happened. She could not describe it but something deep within her told her that things were not as they were the night before. She sat up in bed and was surprised when her chamber maiden came running into her bedroom.<p>

"My lady! Are you alright?", she gasped, "I heard you scream."

"I screamed?" Ava was confused. She didn't remember screaming.

"Yes, something fierce. I thought someone had come in here and…" the maiden quickly shook her head signally no. "Nevermind, are you alright?"

"Yes. I am sorry for waking you", the young girl was embarrassed. She could not explain what happened and quickly found herself needing to as the palace guards showed up banging on her door. The chamber maid assured them everything was alright and that the girl had just had a bad dream.

Ava laid back down in her bed looking up at the ceiling. 'What happened?'

* * *

><p>After the light had finally died away, a figure began to emerge from the crater that the explosion had created in the iceberg. Sokka kept his spear at the ready, when Katara told him to put it away. A young boy stumbled down the side of the crater right into his sister's arms. Sokka started poking his head with his spear to see if the boy was still alive. He scoffed at his sister for telling him to leave the kid alone.<p>

"Ava?" the boy whispered.

"I'm sorry?" Katara questioned.

"Come closer", he asked quietly with his eyes still somewhat closed, "a little closer."

Katara gave into his request and couldn't help but laugh when he asked her to go penguin sledding with him. Both water tribe members were astonished as the boy lifted himself up with hardly any effort and some obvious airbending.

"What's going on? Where am I?" He asked looking at his surroundings. This was definitely not the stretch of ocean he had been crossing to get back to the temple to get Ava. In fact he honestly had no idea where he was.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Sokka questioned as he worked his way closer to the young boy.

"I don't know", the boy seemed dazed and confused.

There was a low rumble from the crater which put both Sokka and Katara on edge. The young boy suddenly had a look on his face as though he had forgotten something very important back inside the crater. He quickly climbed over the edge he had just fallen from with Katara and Sokka coming around the corner to see what had suddenly sparked his interest.

"Come on Appa! Wake up! Are you okay, boy?" he was checking over the massive creature and trying to pull its eyes open. He then began trying to open the creature's mouth. He laughed when he was suddenly licked from head to toe by the biggest tongue either sibling had seen.

"What is that thing?" Sokka demanded.

"He's my flying bison", the boy smiled.

"And this is my flying sister, Katara", Sokka sarcastically stated while pointing to his younger sister.

Suddenly the bison began huffing and puffing as though he was going to vomit. The young boy hunkered down in time when a large flying ball of snot came hurling at Sokka, covering him in the mucous. The teenager hit the ground trying to wipe it off of his face as if someone had struck him with a mortal blow.

"It's okay, it'll wash off", the boy assured. Katara began to walk closer to him when Sokka finally stepped in between them.

"No! How do we know that he isn't Fire Nation and that the big bolt of light that went into the air was not him signaling the Fire navy?" Sokka accused as he point his spear at him.

"Right, he was signaling the Fire nation with that face", Katara pointed at a very innocent looking boy. "Sorry about that, the paranoid one is my brother, Sokka."

"My name's A- -a-a CHOOO!" the boy was trying to state his name when he suddenly sneezed and flew over ten feet in the air.

When he landed he greeted them properly and stated that his name was Aang. He confirmed Katara's suspicions that he was an Airbender.

"You just flew ten feet in the air!" Sokka stated the obvious.

"Really I thought I flew higher than that", Aang answered matter-of-factly.

Sokka decided that it was time for them to go home. This whole experience was getting ridiculous. First they came out to hunt to bring home food for the village, they lost their canoe, they found a boy at the bottom of the sea, and now he's an Airbender. He stated it had to be a stroke from the midnight sun and he needed to get home before any other extraordinary circumstance kept him from doing so. It was then he remembered that they had no way of getting home. Aang offered to let them ride with him on his bison, of course Sokka refused at first, but after some convincing from his sister, he decided it would be in his best interest.

Aang wanted to help his new friends out and get them home. He was a little put out when the brother commented on Appa not flying, but after all they had been through recently he was just thankful that the bison was alive. The young girl named Katara reminded him of Ava. 'Ava!' he thought to himself, 'she's going to kill me for not showing up…' It was then he realized that he was being watched. Reality hit him and he realized he had been staring at Katara in the moment he remembered Ava.

Evening was beginning to cover the sky and the stars were coming out as the trio traveled back to the village. Aang was laying on his back gazing at the stars, thinking again about Ava. 'Don't be angry', he thought to himself. He had broken his promise. He had been on his way back to get her when…

"Hey Aang, can I ask you a question?" Katara was leaning over the front of the back saddle that was mounted on Appa. "Did you know the Avatar?"

Aang quickly became nervous and decided to sit up to explain his way out of this one. He was not going back to that temple as the Avatar. "No I didn't know him. I know people who knew him, but no I never knew him."

He felt awful lying to her like that but he was not going to give up his one chance at happiness. In his mind there was no more Avatar.

* * *

><p>'Don't be angry', the thought crossed Ava's mind out of nowhere. She was in the middle of a discussion with Bhumi about some problems some of the subjects were having when it wiped out her conversation she had planned out in her head.<p>

"Why would I be angry?" Bhumi questioned. He was beginning to worry about his friend. She was acting more strange than usual lately. They were talking about the best approach to irrigate the crops in the outer walls of the city when she simply blurted out a random statement, telling him not to be angry.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted today", Ava shook her head. She hadn't realized she said it aloud until after Bhumi's statement.

"I think you should go lay down. We will continue discussing this later and present you with the ideas and you can give us your opinion when you're up for it", the old king suggested. He was grateful that she was still trying to recover from something going on in her mind and not fighting him on asking her to leave for whatever reason.

* * *

><p>Aang was having a nightmare. He was laying down on Appa as he had been doing the same earlier while he was thinking about Ava. He and Appa had been caught in a storm and a giant wave practically rolled Appa. They both were fighting for their lives trying desperately to keep their heads above water. When they began to drown Aang went into his Avatar state and created the air bubble which he later froze.<p>

The young Avatar quickly shot up from his sleep as Katara woke him up. He could tell by the excitement on her face she had something in store for him. He was not sure of what kind of favor it would be and he reminded himself that he barely knows the girl. She finally admitted that she wanted to introduce him to some people in the village. He could feel her eyes on the back of his skin while he put his shirt on, which he was still secretly trying to figure out got off. As soon as he got his last shoe on he was being pulled out the entrance of the tent.

Katara introduced him to the entire village, which he noticed was made up completely of women and children. An elderly woman stepped out of the crowd and stated that she was Katara's grandmother. She asked if he was an airbender. He thought it was an odd question especially since this was the second time he had been asked it. The answer he received was even more surprising and disturbing.

"Over a hundred years"

"Yes, we thought that they were all extinct", Katara's grandmother stated matter-of-factly.

"Extinct?" Aang was hurt by the word. His people were humble compared to the other nations, but proud to be the Air Nomads. It was like a knife had sliced through his world and created a twisted alternate universe. Everything was so strange. He was quickly drawn out of his thinking by Sokka's carless snatching of his glider.

"What is this, a weapon?" he teased as he examined it. He jumped a little when Aang used his bending to retrieve it back.

"No, not a weapon", Aang unlatched his glider so that it popped out in all its glory. The orange fins were still in perfect condition.

"Magic! Do it again!" a little girl screamed from the crowd. She was excited to see something new for a change as was the rest of the village although they would never admit to it.

"No, not magic. It's a glider. I control the air currents around me so I can…"

"People can't fly!" Sokka interrupted. It was impossible and he smirked at Aang's challenge as the young boy took to the air. It wasn't long before he became upset after the kid's crash landing into his watch tower. The hours and hours of meticulous building, to be wrecked by a careless little squirt like Aang, was a little much for him. It was known in the village that he was very, very particular about things.

"Come, Katara", her grandmother called to her as she stood next to Aang after he got out of his snow pile that was Sokka's watch tower, " You still have chores to do."

"He's the real thing, Gran Gran", the young girl gloated as if she had found something long lost, "He's an bender like me!"

"Don't get your hopes up", the grandmother commented. There was something off about this boy, but it was not up to her to convince her granddaughter so.

"I believe he has much wisdom", Katara smiled as she looked over at Aang. He was showing the children how his tongue could easily stick to his staff. She couldn't help but secretly laugh inside at the site. He was good with children, a very satisfying fact.

It was close to high noon and Sokka was giving the future warriors of the village a pep talk. To his dismay the would-be heroes were only pint size and pint size meant several potty breaks during his lecture.

"Have you seen Aang? Gran Gran said that he disappeared over an hour ago", Katara stated as she walked up to her brother. She could tell he was annoyed with the small children. She never understood why he thought that children could be warriors but then again who was to question him. For arguments sake everyone simply allowed him to think that he was doing something important in the village.

The laughter of the children caught the siblings' attention. Aang had just come out of the igloo outhouse and was stating his humor with the ways thing worked in there. Katara was glad to see the children having fun and was a bit put out with Sokka and his demands to have Aang leave. She was even more displeased by his reaction to the children using Aang's creature as a slide into a pile of snow.

"What are you doing? We don't have time for games with a war going on!" Sokka shrieked.

"What are you talking about? What war?" Aang seemed genuinely confused. He did not know anything of a war and as far as he knew there would be no need for one. He was quickly distracted from Sokka's questioning by a site he had hoped to see while he was here. Almost in a bolt of lightning he was gone and quickly chasing after a penguin. One of his friends from the Northern Water tribe had told him about how you could sled with one of these animals and how much fun it was. It was actually at the top of his list of things to do with Ava once he returned to get her. The thought crossed his mind again. How angry would she be with him for not returning to her sooner? He tried to block it from his thought process and tried to concentrate on capturing a penguin to go sledding with. He was interrupted by Katara. He began mimicking the penguins to get her to laugh. He enjoyed her laugh, it reminded him of Ava.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll help you catch a penguin if you teach me how to waterbend", she smiled. She noticed the disappointed look on his face as he explained to her that he was an _airbender_ not a waterbender. She was surprised by his reaction as she revealed she was the only waterbender in the ENTIRE South Pole so no one in her tribe could teach her.

"What about the North Pole? Isn't there a water tribe up there? Can't someone from there teach you?" he couldn't understand why this girl was not training to become a waterbender. He believed that a bender had a right to train in the advancement of their element.

"It's not like I could take the next turn at the second glacier to get there. It's on the other side of the world", Katara mumbled. She had thought several times of going to the North Pole to learn waterbending, but her duties to her tribe kept her in the South. Plus, it had been almost fifty years since the last time her tribe had contact with their sister tribe in the North.

"But you forget I have a flying bison. Appa and I can personally take you there. We're going to find you a master, Katara", Aang stated proudly. He felt good being able to help the young girl who had welcomed him with open arms. He had not felt this good since well…Ava.

"I don't know, Aang. I haven't really ever left home before", the young girl admitted. She noticed that the boy was deep in thought and most likely did not hear her answer. She was caught off guard to hear his response urging her to think about his offer and his eagerness to sled on a penguin. She tossed him a fish and laughed as he was quickly overtaken by a group of penguins.

Soon the pair was racing down the slopes of a snowy hill used to sled the penguins safely. The twirling and giggling brought joy to the water tribe girl that she had not experienced in many a year. It warmed her heart even more when she made the statement of not doing the sledding since she was younger and Aang reminded her that she still was young. This boy was bringing out her playful side and easing the loss of her father being gone off to war. It was definitely a nice break from her pessimistic brother who only talked of the war and how they needed to be prepared for anything in case their father did not return.

When they had reached the end of the sledding expedition both children were facing an iron monster simply dangling in a giant iceberg. Aang did not know what type of ship this was and did not understand why it was being held up out of the water by big pieces of ice. Katara was vague and only explained that it was a warning and a sad reminder to darker times for her tribe.

Curiosity got the best of Aang and he wanted to explore inside. He simply shrugged off Katara's warnings of not going inside due to it being forbidden. One of the key lessons he learned while in training at the Southern Air temple was that you could not be afraid, emotions got the best of any elemental. He told Katara that to be a bender you had to have no fear. It was convincing enough to have the girl follow him into the decrepit ship.

Once they were inside Aang began exploring all of the corridors. He didn't want to admit it to Katara but he felt almost claustrophobic in the ship. It was made of iron and no airbender did well inside solid stone walls. Their temples were open and free so that they had easy access to wind. Katara was feeling the same way, water was not an element that liked being contained. She kept thinking happy thoughts of the vast ocean and rivers from freaking out.

"This fire navy ship has haunted my tribe since the days when my Gran Gran was a little girl", she explained as they made their way into the armory room, "It was part of their first wave of attack."

"Hold on, back up a minute. I have had friends all over the world, including in the Fire Nation and I have not heard of a war", Aang stated. He was still not too sure about this whole war propaganda. When he disappeared a few days ago everything was fine. All of the nations were at peace and there was no threat from the Fire Nation at all.

"The war is over a century old. How long were you in the ice, Aang?" Katara was confused. She had known about the war all of her life and had overheard the village elders speaking of it during their younger days as well. How could Aang not know of a war…unless…

"I don't know a few days", the young airbender was hoping that this timeline he had in mind was correct, but the more he thought about it the more he had come to the same conclusion as Katara. He had been in the ice over a hundred years. His knees began to fail him and he fell to the floor. He knew that Katara was concerned but that was not his priority. His priority was most likely dead. How could Ava survive one hundred years? How bitter had she been at him when she passed? HIS Ava was most likely…dead. Tears began rushing to his eyes.

"A hundred years…no…it can't be true", he began shouting, "I promised her…I swore to her…"

"Aang? You promised who what?" Katara was shocked to see this carefree child fall apart right in front of her eyes. He was devastated by her comment of him being in the ice for over a century and who was he talking about when he referred to her?

"My Ava…my darling Ava", Aang was quickly losing control. He couldn't bear the thought…his soulmate…his everything…his friends…his mentor…had to be gone.

"Aang, I'm so sorry", the young girl tried to comfort the boy but it was to no avail. He sobbed for nearly an hour before he finally calmed down. The light that had drawn her, the life that had seemed attractive, was gone. This child was truly grieving. "Let's go, Aang. I'm sure we can find her."

"You don't even know her", he growled. This attitude took Katara completely off guard. She felt as though the little boy she was beginning to get to know was quickly turning into a bitter soul.

"She can't be alive. She was about your age when I left her. No one really lives to be that old anymore", Aang grimly stated, "She was my entire world."

* * *

><p>Ava felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest. She was in the middle of talking to Bhumi about taking a vacation to Ba Sing Se. The elderly king had to sit her down and quickly called for a physician. Ava had no idea what was going on with her. She wasn't herself lately and it was beginning to scare her. She advised that she did not need a physician but that she needed to travel to the great library. She had to speak with the Great Owl Spirit and see what was going on. He would know if this had something to do with being connected to the Avatar. Had her time finally come? Was she to be reunited with Aang? Bhumi was confused by her statement but did not question her request. He would help his old friend in whatever way he could.<p>

* * *

><p>Aang allowed Katara to help him up. They began walking out of the armory room when Katara suggested that they leave because she did not feel safe. It wasn't long before Aang had accidentally set off a trap. The entrance was sealed off by an iron cell-like door and a fire signal was sent into the air. Aang secretly cursed himself for involving the young girl. He began looking around the cabin and noticed a giant hole in the center of the roof. He commanded Katara to hold onto him as he easily made his way out of the ship. Once they reached the ground he set her down and began running in the direction of her village with her. He knew that the people of the village would be angry but he had to go and help prepare for whatever danger he might have signaled in his stupidity. He was ready for anything since he no longer felt he had anything to live for.<p> 


	4. Assuming Duty

**Avatar**

**Chapter 4: The Journey Begins**

The flare was still falling down from the sky as Aang and Katara made their way back to the village. Aang knew that the village would be angry and Sokka's already paranoid suspicions would be justified. For the moment he didn't really care except he had included Katara in his stupidity. He was more worried about what the village had in store for her then him. He could easily leave if he wanted.

His theories were confirmed as they approached the outer edge of the village. The women had more than displeased looks on their faces, especially Katara's grandmother. Sokka looked as if his head was going to explode. The thought made Aang chuckle silently to himself. Better no head than an inflated one.

The children began running up to the airbender calling his name. He was surprised that the women were not keeping the children from him. The diplomatic portion of his brain began to take over. Ava had taught him how to be polite and yet assertive. He was ready for whatever this water tribe had to throw at him and he was more than ready for hand-to-hand combat with Sokka if necessary.

"I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them right to us, aren't you?" Sokka stuck his finger out at Aang. This child had been nothing but trouble since he and his sister freed him. He was beginning to think that Katara's kind heart would be the end of their tribe.

"Aang didn't do anything! It was an accident!" Katara tried to defend her new friend. She knew after the realization that he had been in the iceberg over a hundred years, him losing some girl that seemed to be the very heart of him, Sokka's careless accusations were not needed. She looked over to Aang who stood silent for a moment.

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well…we kind of boobied right into it", Aang began scratching the back of his bald head. It was nervous tick of his that annoyed Ava greatly because she had told him that it would be a noticeable sign of his emotions. Ava….

"Katara, you knew boarding that ship was forbidden", the grandmother growled. She couldn't believe that her darling granddaughter would be stupid enough to get onto that ship, but she had a feeling that this boy had influenced her. In all of the years that Sokka and Katara had been alive they had been told repeatedly never to go near the ship for fear that might be something hidden on it.

"Don't blame Katara. I was the one who told her it would be okay, it's my fault", Aang stoically answered. Deep down he was sincerely apologetic but he needed to get away from this place and figure out what had happened in the hundred years he had been gone. Sokka's judgement of banishment was not a surprise, but Katara's reaction took the airbender back. He had barely been affected by the words the family was spitting back and forth at each other when Katara stated she would be banished as well.

"Where do you think YOU'RE going?" Sokka called to his younger sister. He was confused as to what was going on, normally Katara would just go along with whatever he said but in this instance she was rebelling and he didn't like it.

"I'm going to find a waterbender and Aang is taking me to the North Pole!" She continued storming over the Appa. She would not stand for her brother's prejudices.

Aang had completely forgotten about his promise to take her to the Northern water tribe. He was not concerned with taking her now. He needed to return to his temple and find out the truth. He needed to know if something terrible had happened when he disappeared over a hundred years ago. They all acted as if the airbenders had been completely wiped off the face of the earth. What if Ava hadn't lived long enough to resent him? This pained him even more than her dying a lonely death at an old age, never knowing that he had been kept from her under some unusual circumstances.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family", he stated as he grabbed her shoulder. He continued walking over to Appa. He knew she would not leave him be until she was sure he was okay.

"So you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?" she almost started crying. She barely knew the boy but she felt some sort of connection to him.

"I need to return to my temple and find out what happened to Ava", the boy solemnly stated. He bended onto the top of his bison and bid everyone a farewell. He told them he would miss them after a small girl ran up to Appa's side and declared that he would be missed. He looked one last time at Katara and could only see Ava's face. He tried to get Appa to fly to prove Sokka wrong yet again but when the bison did not fly he became a little irritated by Sokka's comment. The bison walked away slowly from the village into the distance.

Katara stood a little longer in the spot that she settled into while Aang said his goodbyes. She was angry when her grandmother tried to convince her that it was in the best interest of the tribe for Aang to have gone.

"There goes my ONE chance at being a waterbender! Are you happy now?" she yelled as she walked away from the elderly woman.

"My lady, are you alright?" a soldier asked Ava as she stared into the distance while they rode away to the Great Library.

"Yes, I am fine", she shaked the feeling of loss again from her mind. This was all new to her. She hadn't felt this confused since…Aang.

Reality hit her. What if he was alive and something was happening to him? There was no way that he would keep himself from her all these years like that, would he? She needed to speak to the Great Owl spirit. He had been her adviser for some time and he relished in her company for knowledge. If anyone could tell her what was going on he could. It had been far too long already for her to visit him.

Aang and Appa were resting in some hive ice formations. He needed to get his wits about him before he took off for the temple. He wanted to be sane if he found out that something had happened, then he would have a complete melt down. Appa groaned from his resting place beneath the airbender.

"Yeah, Katara was nice", Aang agreed with the bison. It was then something caught his eye. He noticed a ship headed towards the location of the village. It donned a Fire Nation flag. He knew that the tribe was in trouble and his Avatar instincts took over. He knew if it weren't for these instincts he would most likely have left the village to fend for itself after being so unforgiving and especially after that boy Sokka…he just rubbed Aang the wrong way. He bended down to Appa and ordered the bison to stay where he was at as he made his way toward the village.

He decided to have a little fun with his entrance and retrieved a penguin to assist in his task. He saw that Fire Nation soldier had a hold of Katara's grandmother. When he threw the old woman into her granddaughter and once he started an aggressive move towards Sokka, Aang decided that was his queue. He sled in on the penguin and knocked the soldier into the air. He couldn't help but smile at the compromised position the soldier ended up in after he came to a stop. He greeted the siblings and couldn't help but inwardly laugh at Sokka's returned greeting thanking him for being there sarcastically.

The soldier and others began to surround the airbender. He initiated the fight by using his bending skills first to cover the other soldiers in snow, leaving the main guy to fight.

"Looking for me?" Aang demanded.

"You're the Airbender? You're the Avatar?" the young man was completely confused. Aang knew that he was searching for someone a lot older.

"I've spent years training for this moment, meditating…and you're just a child!" the Fire Nation man yelled.

Aang was a little annoyed by this remark and stated that the Fire Nation commander was just a teenager. This perked the young man's anger even more and he began shooting fireballs at the airbender. Aang fended them off as best as he could but the fire was getting more and more intense. He would not have been bothered by it but one of the little water tribe girls began screaming bloody murder and he knew then he could not continue this fight with the village present.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave this village?" he growled. He had enough of everything going on and wished for peace, perhaps this might be the stepping stone towards it and he could leave once he got everything taken care of.

The young man nodded. Two soldiers quickly came at Aang's back. One took his staff while the other grabbed his arm. He began walking away when Katara's calls diverted his attention. He asked that she take care of Appa until his return which he knew would be soon. He would not go to the Fire Nation as the young man had stated they were headed. He was a little disturbed by the tears that began falling from Katara's eyes. Had Ava cried in her final moment? He couldn't bear to look at the girl anymore, all he could think about was Ava crying. He had never seen her cry and wished to never think it nor see it.

Aang was getting annoyed with his new host, a teenager named, Zuko. He was less than charming with his comments about Aang not knowing about fathers because he was raised by monks. He was even more hateful about the fact that they took his staff as a souvenir spurring on the question: What made people think that it could not be used as a weapon? The soldiers were escorting him down to the cell where he was to be held until they returned to the Fire Nation. If what Sokka and his sister, Katara, said was true about the Fire Nation, there was no way in hell Aang was going down without a fight. He decided that being polite and political had run its course.

"So…. I guess neither of you have fought an airbender before? I bet I could take on both of you with my hands tied behind my back!" Aang teased. He was not taught to undermine his opponents while fighting under the teaching of the monks, but he had no problems learning it from Ava. He inhaled every last breathe possible and released it blowing the soldier in front of him into the door, promptly knocking him out, and taking the soldier behind him on a joy ride to the stairs they had just climbed down from the deck, also knocking him out. Aang quickly launched himself into the air and landed on deck, he had seen earlier the door that they had taken his staff into. He began running towards the steel door and with very little effort on his part was able to break it open with a simple airbending move. He was trying to get to his staff quickly because he knew that it wouldn't be long before they realized he was running around the ship. He was right when he turned what seemed like the millionth corner and found three Fire Nation soldiers waiting for him. He used his airbending to slide past them by running in circles around them, using the walls and ceiling. Once he reached another corridor he was one on one with another soldier. Aang knew he was going to have to untie his hands fairly quickly in order to properly fight. Once the soldier shot fire at him, Aang jumped over him easily and used the decorative horns on the helmet to cut the bindings on his hands, this also toppled over the soldier, leaving him useless for a moment due to the wind being knocked out of him. Aang began opening doors trying to find the room where his staff was located. He knew that once he had his staff, there would be no problem getting off the ship. He could fly back to the village and get Appa and be on his way. He had peeped through five doors or so before he ran past a room with the door wide open, he had just happened to glance in and had to do a double take because he saw his staff propped up beside the bed. He ran in with no hesitation and the door slammed closed behind him. Zuko had been waiting for him.

"It seems I underestimated you", he growled as he started attacking the young airbender. Aang used his years of training to avoid each of the fire balls thrown at him, which only angered Zuko more. The young Avatar was trying to reach his staff when one of the attacks finally destroyed his air ball that he had created and was using to dodge and avoid. He used one of the tapestries on the wall to tie Zuko up long enough to get his staff in hand. Once that was accomplished he used it to airbend the mattress from the bed and slam the young Fire Nation man into the wall and then into the ceiling. Aang took off after that and made his way into the wheel house. He took a brief moment to compel himself before he made a mad run for the open deck. He breathed in the fresh air, since the compartments of the ship reeked slightly of burning coal which offended the airbender's sense of smell somewhat. He threw his staff fully winged into the air and proceeded to follow after it, but there was a slight problem. Zuko grabbed hold of Aang's ankle and forced the airbender to land on the lower deck. The young Fire Nation man was ready to set off some more attacks when there was a loud rumbling in the sky. Both the airbender and the teenager looked to where the sound was coming from.

"What is that?" Zuko strained his eyes to see, but could not really tell what it was that was headed towards them.

"Appa!" Aang was relieved to see his flying bison. But it was short lived as Zuko started his attacks. They were getting more and more intense and causing Aang to get closer and closer to the edge of the ship. He dropped his staff and fell overboard into the freezing water below. He was barely conscious as the water had seemed to freeze his entire body with no mercy. He could barely hear Katara calling his name. It was then his tattoos and eyes began glowing and the Avatar spirit began taking over using its "self-preservation" mode. He had completely blanked out and seemed lost in thought. A memory came to mind.

* * *

><p><em>Ava was upset about something one of the other boys said. She knew it was stupid but it didn't matter, he had actually had a point in his stupid ranting. 'Aang only loves you because he has to.'<em>

_The thought hurt her so much and she wanted to know if the feelings that she and Aang had for one another were only brought on because it was destined to be so. _

_Monk Gyatso had informed them of there being only one time in the history of the Avatar and the Chalice ever not being together. He stated it was a time during which they were in the water cycle. The avatar had found love with another woman and the Chalice was devastated, so much so that she did not live long after the Avatar announced his plans for the wedding. There were rumors that she had killed herself but it was found out later by the Avatar himself that he had hurt the other half of his soul so much that she simply died of a broken heart. She learned that the Chalice has a protector in the spirit world when the Avatar has been left behind, the spirit was called Koh. He was also called the face stealer because he had the ability to steal a face once an emotion had been shown on it. Koh was jealous of the relationship between the Avatar and the Chalice and wanted the Chalice for himself. When the Chalice passed back into the spirit world and told Koh of how the Avatar Kuruk had chosen the woman Ummi over the Chalice he decided to punish the Avatar for his negligence. He stole the face of the woman Ummi, and ultimately killing her. Kuruk was doomed to be without the woman he chose over the Chalice and since the Chalice had passed, he was left alone in the world. The Avatar and the Chalice were not reunited again until after Kuruk passed and Ruko was born into the Fire Nation._

_This didn't help Ava at all. She was sitting outside cuddling with Appa when Aang approached her. _

"_What's wrong?" Aang climbed up next her. He was a little hurt when she turned away from him._

"_Do you ever think that maybe we are so close because we HAVE to be?" Ava stifled a cry. She had been crying until the young boy reached her. _

"_Does this have something to do with what Remi said?" Aang quietly whispered. He knew that the statement had hurt her, but he had not really seen how much. _

"_Aang, I love you, I do, but I am afraid it's because it is predestined in our lives to be in love and the one time you weren't in love with me, we pretty much mad a disaster of things", she said in between her crying gasps. She couldn't put on a strong face anymore. _

"_Ava, we obviously have our own choices. I know what you're talking about with Kuruk. I was a fool then, and I think in a way your soul never forgave me for choosing Ummi over you", he pulled her face to his and cupped it lovingly in his hands, "I swear I will never hurt you like that again."_

"_You can't keep a promise like that Aang", Ava closed her eyes and started to pull away but she couldn't due to Aang's death like grip on her face. He was kissing her in that moment. She couldn't help but give in. Their lips touching was electrifying and the way they melted into each other was almost a sin._

"_I have loved you since the beginning and I will love you even after the end", his eyes were glowing and his true spirit was talking, "You are my Chalice."_

_Ava's eyes began glowing as well and her true spirit replied, "We are truly one?"_

"_Never parted, even though we are in two separate bodies", the Avatar spirit cooed as Aang leaned in to kiss Ava once more, " I love you."_

_The whisper on her lips sent chills down her spine, "And I you."_

_When the kissing stopped the pair were back to themselves. They immediately began blushing but Aang was quick to let her know that he did not regret kissing her and she told him the same. They fell asleep on Appa that night with Gyatso finding them in the morning and making them return to their separate chambers so the other monks would not think ill of their time together last night._

* * *

><p>When Aang awoke he was the arms of Katara. He realized he had dropped his staff and mentioned it. Sokka was quick to offer to retrieve it for him. He seemed impressed for some reason. Aang quickly got his wit about him and hurried onto Appa with the help of Katara. He still needed a few quick moments to get out of the daze he was in. Once Sokka got on they flew off, but had not gotten far enough that when Zuko and the old man fired upon them Aang had to use defensive measures to sway the fire balls. He couldn't help but laugh when the glacier that caught his defensive move began falling on to the ship. He knew this would deter the would-be Fire Nation hero, but he had a feeling this would not be the last time that he saw him.<p>

"How did you do that? With the water? That was the most amazing thing that I have ever seen!" Katara was in awe as she began questioning him while they made their way far from the Fire Navy ship.

"I just did it", Aang mumbled. He had been told what he had done several times by the water tribe siblings and while it was remarkable, he couldn't remember any of it. He could only remember what he had seen while he was in Avatar form. The memory of his beloved Ava on one of the last few nights that they spent together, he knew that he had to find out what happened to her. He had to know if she died and if she suffered by his absence.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" Katara's next personal question lifted him out of his thoughts.

"I never wanted to be", Aang whispered.

"But Aang, the world has been waiting for the Avatar to return and put an end to this war", the young girl started.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" the airbender shot back.

"According to legend you are supposed to master water, then earth, then fire, right?" Katara hinted.

"That's what the monks told me", Aang sighed. This is what separated him from Ava to begin with.

"Well if you go to the North Pole you can master waterbending!" she stated excitedly. He knew this meant that she was interested in mastering her skills as well.

"We could learn it together", he stated stoically.

"And Sokka can take on some Fire Nation soldiers on the way", she smiled as if she had figured the key to peace on earth in one day.

"I would like that", Sokka smiled at his sister.

"We will have some serious business to attend to before we go to the North Pole", Aang pulled out a map and began pointing to some spots on the map. He told Katara and Sokka that they were places that he wanted to do some childish things but he secretly wanted to go there to see if he could find anything out about Ava. He assured them they would get where they were going in due time but first he wanted to go to the temple.


	5. Reliving the Past

**Reliving the Past**

The sun was rising over the horizon yielding beautiful gold and orange across the water that the little camp had stopped in front of. Aang was preparing Appa for the journey to the Air temple. He was ready to see what it looked like after a hundred years, he was still skeptical about whether he would believe his new found companions. He sighed as he continued to fix the reins on Appa. His mind began wandering to a certain young woman.

_Aang had woken earlier than normal and went outside. He noticed Ava standing on the balcony that Gyatso used to make his famous cakes. She was looking at the sun. In the brilliance she seemed to resemble an angel, or at least the description that Gyatso had given to the young Avatar. He couldn't believe that someone so beautiful was willing to be with him. He couldn't help himself as he wrapped his arms around her and was surprised when she leaned into his embrace. This was truly the woman he would spend the rest of his life with._

* * *

><p>Ava was getting annoyed. She had been pouring over manuscripts and scrolls for two days now and still she had no idea what was going on with her. She huffed as she clasped her hands around her head. The Great Owl spirit came to her rescue, as he appeared beside her.<p>

"My child, what ails you?" he gently nudged her with his giant wing. He had felt her tension since the moment she had sat down and began her excruciating hunt for whatever knowledge she was looking for. He was excited to see her again but at this rate she was going to wear herself down and end up leaving without what she was searching for.

"I need to know what can possibly happen to the Chalice if separated from the Avatar for too long", She sighed as she picked up her stack of scrolls and began dispersing them to the Owl's minions allowing them to put them back where they belonged, "There is something going on and I don't know what it is."

"Describe it", the Owl nestled down in front of the young girl and offered for her to sit with him.

"I have been having dreams of him. I don't know if they are just dreams or visions from his last adventure. I keep having strange thoughts, like someone else is thinking them and they simply take me over. I have made a fool of myself more than once in the last week in front of the king's court", she laughed as she cuddled into the Owl, "I fear they think me mad."

"I'll be honest, child, I do not think that the Avatar is gone from this world. Perhaps he is trapped somewhere and reaching out to you?" the great bird ruffled his feathers, "There have been known stories with other spirit couples."

"But what could keep the Avatar from his Chalice for over a hundred years? He's supposed to be able to master the four elements for Buddha's sake! I mean where the hell could he possibly be held prisoner?" Ava demanded as she pounded her fist into the floor, "I've been so lost without him."

"Do I sense resentment towards the Avatar?" the spirit wrapped his wings around the sobbing girl on the floor.

"Why hasn't he tried to communicate with me before?" she gasped in between sobs as she buried her face into the feathers.

"Shall we try to communicate with him? Perhaps your lover has been just as lost and alone as you have?" the Owl cooed.

"Can you show me?" Ava began to smile for the first time in what seemed like eons.

"Yes", the spirit began to get up, "Now where are those scrolls about the link between the two of you?"

* * *

><p>"I can't wait to show you the temple, Katara", Aang smiled at the water tribe girl on the saddle. She was finishing packing her sleeping bag into the carrier on Appa's gear. He immediately cursed himself for trying to appear happy. This girl was going to be a nuisance.<p>

"I don't want you to get your hopes up, Aang. I already told you that a lot has happened since you…well since you've been gone", the sadness in her eyes emanated towards the young boy.

"I have to see it for myself", he simply stated as he launched off of Appa's head down to the ground to wake up their other companion, Sokka. The teenager was dead asleep to the world and it seemed that nothing was going to get him up. Both Aang and Katara had been trying to wake him up for over an hour now. He was thoroughly annoyed and a mischievous thought crossed his mind. Quickly he grabbed a stick that was next to Sokka and began tracing it up and down his bag and stated that a prickle snake had climbed into the bag. Sokka shot up and began bouncing around trying to free himself of his sleeping bag. Both the Avatar and Katara couldn't help but laugh when Sokka hit the ground chin first.

"Great, you're up, so now we can go", Aang stated matter-of-factly as he climbed on top of Appa. He could tell that he had thoroughly pissed the teenage boy off but he truly didn't care. He was ready to solve the mystery of the missing Airbenders, if it was even true.

* * *

><p>"You must concentrate on your inner self. That part of you is desperately seeking its other half", the Great Owl spirit was trying to reteach the Chalice about how to communicate with the Avatar spirit.<p>

"I must clear my mind and focus on the energy deep within me", she mumbled to herself. She sat for a few minutes with her eyes closed, hoping and praying that if Aang was alive she would see a glimpse of him so that she could see if he was truly safe and if there was any way for her to get to him. She was annoyed that she could not concentrate and it was beginning to frustrate her to no end.

"When was the last time you slept, my child?" the Owl inquired. He had sensed that she was completely drained. It was evident not only physically by the dark circles under her earth brown eyes, but her spirit seemed worn down as well. There wasn't any sort of glow to her as there had been before.

* * *

><p>The small group was airborn now and flying very fast. It seemed as if Appa as in tune with his master's wishes about reaching the temple fairly quickly. Sokka was rummaging around his sack trying to find something to eat. He became irritated when he realized his snack was gone. Aang sheepishly admitted that he thought the blubbered seal jerky was actually firewood. They reached the Potola Mountain range which meant that the air temple was not much farther. The young boy's smile was short lived by Katara reminding him of what he might expect. She even revealed to him that the Fire Nation had killed her mother and that they might have done the same to his people.<p>

"They may have done something to your Ava", she whispered, looking at him with her sad Sapphire eyes.

"Just because no one has seen an Airbender doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed all of them. I bet Ava is alive and she is waiting here for me to return", he lied to himself and shot her a dirty look. This girl had no sense of hope.

"I know it's hard to accept, but she may not have…", Katara started.

"Look Katara, you don't understand. The only way to reach an air temple is by a flying bison and I doubt that the Fire Nation has a flying bison", Aang snorted and began the ascent up towards the mountain that sheltered the Southern Air Temple.

When the ancient temple towered over the tree line of the mountain that they flew up, it almost brought tears to Aang's eyes. His home was still intact and this gave him slight hope that perhaps Ava returned to wait for him. He smiled to himself at the fact that Katara was in awe of everything. He ran ahead of the pair after they landed mainly because he wanted to see if Ava was there but also because the siblings were already arguing again.

They reached cliff that overlooked a lot of the air temple grounds and Aang couldn't help but sigh.

"There is where me and my friends would play airball, and that's where the bison used to sleep", he began pointing at different areas within their sights. He paused and began thinking about how much he really missed living here.

_Aang lept in front of the goal but was too late. Normally he would be upset because he usually was the one who won at airball all the time, but he couldn't help but smile at Ava's reactions. She was hopping up and down, excited because she was ahead. After he had been beaten pretty badly, they walked over to their familiar spot of sitting on Appa and talking about their day._

"_So you've definitely improved on airball", Aang said as he nestled into Appa's tail. He began to blush as Ava settled into the crook of one of his arms that he put behind his head. He couldn't resist wrapping his arm around her. _

"_Yes, well, I had a very good teacher", she smiled as she looked at him._

* * *

><p>This particular memory had flashed in Ava's mind while she slept on the couch in the Great Owl's study suite. Tears were running down her face as she remembered in that moment she had decided that as Ava she was in love with Aang. It wasn't long until after that they shared their first kiss and then after that Aang disappeared. She sat up trying to catch her breath, which had suddenly become stuck in her chest.<p>

The Great Owl came to check on his pupil and noticed she was sitting up.

"I felt it too, my child", the Owl cooed, "The Avatar searches for his Chalice."

"What's wrong, Aang?" Katara interrupted her friend's thoughts. She could tell that he was not completely there with them but somewhere else.

* * *

><p>"There used to be monks, lemurs, and bison. This place used to be alive and now it is just a bunch of weeds. So much has changed and I don't feel her here", Aang began to bow his head in defeat. The world was so big, if she didn't remain at the temple then where else could she have gone.<p>

"So how do you play this airball game?" Sokka questioned as he pointed down to the playing field. He wanted to help his friend out of the mood he was in, and he figured that by playing with the young boy then it would be better. He didn't realize how challenging the game was. It was definitely an airbender's game and he definitely didn't have the skills to do this. He seemed very disappointed after Aang put him through the goal and made it seven to zero. He was picking himself up off the ground and assuring his sister he was okay as she walked up to him. It was then Sokka noticed something that they had been dreading.

"Katara, look!", he sort of whispered. He pointed to a Fire Nation soldier's helmet that had obviously been worn during battle. It had dents and char marks and it seemed to be the fashion of the army from around a hundred years ago. "We have to tell him."

"Aang, come over here", Katara called over trying to prepare herself with how she was going to let the young boy know what she and her brother discovered.

"What is it?" The young boy laughed as he walked up with the airball. Just as he reached the siblings Katara dumped a lot of snow on top of Sokka.

"Oh, just a new waterbending trick I learned", Katara lied as she put her twitching gloved hands behind her back.

"Enough practicing, we have a whole temple to see!" Aang was disappointed that Ava was not here but he was hoping to find clues as to where she may have gone. He continued to the main court of the temple where the other airbenders used to play as he and Ava used to watch them having fun.

In the middle of the court was one of many statues that dotted the temple. It was one of monk Gyatso, Aang's beloved guardian and teacher. He bowed his head in reverence and remembered that fateful day when he left and imagined the pain Gyatso must have felt at his leaving. He looked around and saw the statue of Ava that the Western temple had insisted be moved there. She was in her robes with her hair tied to one side. She held her staff in her left hand and had her right hand placed on her heart.

The sight made the breath in Aang's lungs catch and stay where it was. He slowly walked up to the statue as tears began to well in his eyes. The statue reminded him of her beauty, not that he had any trouble remembering her face, but this was the closest he felt to her in the time he had been gone.

"Hey Aang, who was that guy?" Sokka pointed back towards Gyatso's statue.

"He was my guardian and my teacher. He was the greatest airbender of our nation. His name was Gyatso", Aang mumbled as he began to reach up to Ava's statue.

"I remember how the elder monks were so mad at the Western temple for bringing her statue with them, especially when they learned that it was to remain here. Only the highest monk was pleased with the gift", Aang laughed to himself as he caressed the face of the statue.

"Is that her?" Katara looked at the statue. It was of a young woman holding a staff similar to Aang's. Her long hair was tied to one side and placed on the front of her right shoulder. Her hair looked like it reached just past the girl's elbow. When it was done it must have been longer than that. She was in an oufit similar to Aang's except it seemed to be more flowing, definitely designed for a girl. She noticed the way Aang looked at the statue. She saw nothing but pure love from the young man's eyes.

"Her name was Ava and she was the love of my life", Aang sighed as he continued to caress the face.

"Aren't you kind of young to think that?" Sokka grumbled as he looked on the statue. There was no doubt that the girl was very beautiful but she couldn't have been more than Katara's age, around fourteen. How could a self-proclaimed twelve year old determine that a teenager was the love of his life?

"What I am about to tell you doesn't leave us", Aang quickly spun around and looked at the siblings. The comment had caused a surprised look on both of their faces.

"Of course", Katara smiled. She was glad that Aang was beginning to open up again. He had almost completely shut her out when he realized that Ava could have died in the hundred years he had been in the iceberg.

"Ava is the incarnation of the human spirit. She is my Ying to my Yang. She is the soul mate of the Avatar spirit", Aang began, "She's the…"

"Chalice?" both siblings looked at each other in disbelief.

"Then you realize how important she is to me?" the Avatar questioned the siblings.

"Our mom used to tell us about the Chalice and how long ago it was the Chalice who saved the Southern Water Tribe after the Avatar disappeared. She died in our village", Sokka looked to Aang to see what reaction he would get.

"She died in your village?" Aang fell to his knees in front of the siblings. He then bent over and began pounding his fist into the ground.

"Whoa this was way before you were supposedly born! It was during the time of the Avatar before you!" Katara explained as she knelt in front of the young boy.

"Are you sure?" the Avatar begged. It hurt to know that she could possibly be buried in the cold ground of the Southern Water Tribe lands.

"Yeah, my Gran Gran was a little girl when the Chalice came to the village. It was right after the Fire Nation attacked", Sokka assured as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I have to find her", Aang stood up and began wiping his tears away from his face as he looked to her statue once more. "I need her."

Tears were streaming down her face as she concentrated on finding Aang. She knew that this was coming from him, but where? Where could he possibly be?

"My child, your escort is here", the Great Owl interrupted, "It seems that the king would like you to return now."

"Buhmi knows that this means a lot to me", Ava growled, "Why would he send an escort a week early?"

"Perhaps you should sit for this bit of news", the Owl sighed.

Aang began to walk away from Ava's statue. He didn't get far before both siblings inquired as to where he was going.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary", he stated matter-of-factly, "I think there is someone I'm ready to meet in there."

The siblings looked to each other, neither one understanding what he was saying. Aang didn't feel like he needed to explain EVERYTHING that was going on in his head although he knew that Katara was dying to know. He remembered that Gyatso said that there would be someone there waiting to speak with him when he was old enough to enter (which would have been when he turned sixteen).

The three appeared before the Sanctuary door. Katara had already expressed her doubts of someone surviving over a hundred years inside the doors. Aang reminded her that he had survived in an iceberg no less. He laughed to himself when she agreed that he had a valid point.

"Ava could be in there", he smiled to himself, "She's supposed to help me with this Avatar thing."

"Maybe they have food!" Sokka yelled and began running towards the doors. He tried to open them but it was to no avail, "How do we open these?"

"With airbending of course", Aang laughed and backed up to prepare himself. He used his bending to blow air into the tubing that opened the locks on the doors. He walked in without a word to his companions, hoping that he would find his beloved, but all he found was more statues.

They all seemed familiar for some reason. Katara noticed that the statues were in the order of the Avatar cycle: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. He walked to the center of the statues and looked upon one with intense curiosity. 'Roku', a thought crossed his mind and in that instance he knew this was his most recent life.

"There is no name on this statue, Aang. How do you know who it is?" Katara marveled at the boy's intuition.

"He was the Avatar before me", Aang smiled to himself as a few memories came to mind.

Suddenly the trio heard footsteps heading their way and they crouched behind the statues of the previous Avatars. Listening intently, Aang didn't seem to think that whatever was walking towards them was very big, but according to Sokka it was someone with the Fire Nation. He had not really seen anything due to Katara grabbing him by the collar and pulling him to sit down with her, so he was not sure if Sokka could be right or not. Honestly he didn't think so, but there was no point in arguing with the young water tribe boy. They sat there waiting to see what fate awaited them when Sokka grabbed his club and stepped out from behind the statue he was hiding behind. The look on his face was priceless, as was Aang and Katara's. It was some kind of animal.

Aang's face lit up as he proclaimed it was a lemur. He was happy to see something familiar to him and he was upset to hear Sokka call it dinner. Aang smiled and tried to reassure the animal that he was going to be a pet not dinner but the shove fest between the two young men caused the lemur to scare and run away. Both boys started chasing after the lemur but it was Aang who bested Sokka by jumping off the ledge of the balcony and using his airbending skills to chase after the poor creature.

They reached the bottom of the cliff and Aang followed the lemur into a secluded area where the monks would keep their supplies. The sight he stumbled upon was more than troubling. It was the remains of several firebending soldiers, confirming his worst fear. His temple had been attacked and Ava could have possibly been killed. What was worst was he found Gyatso's remains. He recognized the medallion around the skeleton's neck. It was the same necklace that Aang had made for the monk right before he left, and what was even more heartbreaking, clutched in what appeared like desperation was Ava's necklace, in the skeleton's hand. Had Gyatso been the last to hold his precious Ava, comforting her and reassuring her of Aang's affections in her final moments? This was too much for the young airbender to handle. He fell to his knees and crumpled into a ball, rubbing his face into the ground while pounding his fist into the ground.

"Hey, Aang you find my dinner yet?" Sokka teased as he pulled the curtain back. He immediately began apologizing to the young boy about the lemur until he realized the real reason why the Avatar was crying. He saw the skeleton and realized that it must have been someone that Aang held dear.

"Oh man! Come on, Aang. Everything will be alright, let's get out of here", he grabbed the boy's shoulder trying to offer what little comfort he could. He began to back away as he saw the tattoos on Aang's body began to glow. He had seen it earlier when Aang had attacked the Fire Nation navy ship. His fear was confirmed as the boy began to float into the air and a violent wind shot Sokka back into the rubble behind them.

* * *

><p>Ava's heart became engulfed with immense sorrow. Her eyes began to glow as she called out the Avatar's name and wind began swirling around her. The Great Owl spirit tried calming the spirit of the Chalice but it was not working. He quickly realized it was the Avatar that had triggered this reaction.<p>

"Ava!" he called to her, "Try to control the feelings!"

She was crying as her body began lifting into the air, mimicking Aang's halfway across the world.

Aang began to imagine what had possibly happened. Ava barely hanging onto life, most likely cursing Aang for leaving her as she finally passed in monk Gyatso's arms, and the monk so enraged by the passing fighting off the remaining firebending soldiers until his ultimate death. How alone they must have felt…how betrayed…how they must have wondered where he was and if he realized what was going on….

It was then both Aang and Ava heard a female's voice calling through the fury, the rage, and the sorrowful wind.

* * *

><p>"Aang, I know you're upset! I know how hard it is to lose the people that you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Ava, Monk Gyatso, and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family! Sokka and I, we're you're family now!" Katara called out to the young boy.<p>

Aang began to float back to earth. What Katara had said really hit home with him. He was ready to accept the fact that Ava may be gone but he still had a duty to the world. He had made a promise long ago…

"_I will bring balance to this world", Aang smiled at Ava, "And you will be right there with me when I do it."_

* * *

><p>Ava began to settle down as well, right into the Great Owl Spirit's wings. He was ready to catch her when she finally lost her strength to sustain whatever power the Avatar was wielding.<p>

"Rest my child, for now you know the news I bring to you. Your Avatar lives and he will find you, but only if you return to Omashu."

* * *

><p>"Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you", Sokka smiled as he approached the young Avatar. He was beginning to see this young man as his little brother, and even though Aang was more powerful than him in more ways than one, there something he was realizing he could offer to the Avatar: support.<p>

Katara grabbed Aang's hand and the boy fell back into her arms once more. He was chuckled inwardly as this was becoming a routine between the pair.

"I'm sorry", Aang mumbled, "I just don't know how to live in a world without her."

"It's okay. It's not your fault", Katara smiled, "I really wish I could have met this girl who had such an impact on the Avatar." She was secretly jealous of this connection that a dead girl had with the most powerful being in the world, that even after one hundred years of separation, she was the one person in the world he wanted to be with, even in death.

"No, you were right. And if the firebenders found this temple, that means that they found the other ones too. I really am the last airbender", he closed his eyes and gave into the warmth of Katara's embrace. It would never match that of Ava's but then again, there was no way Ava survived in his mind.

A few moments later the young Avatar was back in the Air Temple Sanctuary. He was staring at the statue of Roku again. He was wondering how this statue was supposed to help him on his journey to becoming an airbender if stone couldn't speak. Aang's frustration was relieved somewhat when he saw the lemur he had tried to catch earlier come into the sanctuary. He had to stifle a laugh when the creature left a couple handfuls of fruit in front of Sokka.

"You, me, and Appa are all that's left of this place", Aang spoke to the lemur when they were ready to leave the temple, "We have to stick together. Katara, Sokka, say hello to the newest member of our family."

The young boy proudly held up the flying lemur bat and announced that his name was Momo. He was certainly depressed as he stared at his beloved temple as they began to fly away towards the Earth kingdom. The way the mists of the clouds began to cover the moutaintop made the airbender wonder if Ava had died knowing his feelings for her went far beyond eternity.

* * *

><p>Ava awoke in the wings of the Great Owl Spirit. She was completely overwhelmed by the events that had transpired during the day. Her Avatar was alive, but it seemed that he was greatly sad over something and she had remembered what the Great Owl spirit had said about returning to Omashu. She wanted to return as soon as possible to have enough strength to face the day when Aang would return to her. She wondered if he would still look as he had all those years ago. He had to if she had remained the same. In her heart, she was secretly happy that Bhumi had expected this coming and she was happy to return home to his now welcoming enthusiasm.<p> 


	6. Kyoshi Island

**Kyoshi Island**

"You have no idea where we're going do you?" Sokka huffed as he looked on the map. He wasn't even sure where they were now. He rolled his eyes as he got the response of where they were going was near water. All three looked out to the horizon where there was nothing but water. "Well I guess that means we're getting closer."

Aang couldn't help but watch Katara as she repaired her brother's pants. He felt guilty not giving her a chance before, but he believed in allowing this girl into his life. He was going to need all the allies he could afford since he was truly the last airbender.

"Momo, marbles please", he announced triumphantly. He smiled as the lemur dug around in his robes to find the marbles. "Katara, look at my new trick!" He was disappointed to see that she was not really paying him any attention. Perhaps he was wrong about them developing any kind of bond and her family talk…pfff.

* * *

><p>"Well are you not excited now, knowing that Aang is alive somewhere in this world?" Bhumi gleamed. He had been trying to convince Ava of this all along. He knew that Aang would not willingly abandon the girl.<p>

"Yes but my patience grows thin. I have been home for a couple days now and I have not heard word of the Avatar being amongst us again", Ava huffed as she sat outside on the patio in her usual couch.

"You must be patient and you must be strong. Why don't you rest and simply revel in the fact that you are no longer alone in this world. Not that you truly were to begin with", the king offered and walked with his escort back into the palace.

Ava sunk into her couch and closed her eyes. Bhumi had not allowed her a moment's peace to meditate and she knew why. The last time she tried to meditate was at the Great Library and she pushed herself to exhaustion. He wanted her to be at her strongest so that she could handle the emotional stress of seeing Aang again after all the years of suffering without him. She began to doze off, enjoying the rays of the sun more than she had in a very long time.

* * *

><p>"We made a pitstop yesterday!" Sokka pointed out as the party looked out into the ocean on the beach, "Don't you think we should be going to the North Pole already?"<p>

"Yeah, we won't get there until Spring at this rate", Katara sided with her brother.

Aang was growing weary of their constant complaining and bickering. If they weren't fighting with each other than they were teamed up against him. "Appa needs a break, don't you boy?" He had to nudge the flying bison in the ribs to get him to yawn, but it was obviously not convincing enough for the siblings. Aang kept looking out into the ocean trying to see any life of the legendary giant Koi fish. He was going to bring her here one day. They had made plans to ride the fish together. The Avatar made a promise to himself and to Ava wherever she was at, that he would still keep at least one promise to her. He was going to ride the giant Koi fish.

* * *

><p>Ava shot up from her nap and began yelling for Bhumi. The king had reached her sooner than expected. "Kyoshi!" she started to get up but began to feel weak.<p>

"You never listen do you? I'll send word to Kyoshi to send the Avatar here, but don't meditate or do anything that will drain your energy even more!" the king ordered.

"That's like asking me not to breathe!" Ava countered, "He's alive; just let me go to Kyoshi."

"No and as leader of your Order I declare that you stay put. Don't make me pull out the sutras to keep you confined", he growled as he walked away. So the day had come when he would meet his old friend once more. He sent a messenger to Kyoshi with haste, but even then he knew it would take at least a day and a half to get there from Omashu. He only hoped that Ava could reserve her strength for that long. He really didn't know how to use the sutras for the Chalice.

* * *

><p>"Look!" Aang shouted as he pointed out to the ocean. A giant Koi fish jumped out of the water. The siblings stared in awe. These fish were about as big as the whales near their lands. "Elephant Koi fish that's why we're here." Aang undressed and began running to the water. He screamed as the cold water hit his flesh, not realizing his counterpart in Omashu got the chills in that instance. Aang dove under the water and in seconds he was wind surfing on the back of a giant Koi fish. He looked to the shore and was pleased to see both of his companions were watching him this time. He continued to stay on and became disappointed when he looked to the shore once more and saw that Katara was running into the forest and Sokka was no longer looking. He contemplated to himself trying to remember why he allowed them to accompany him in the first place when he heard Sokka yelling his name. He looked to the shore and both siblings were jumping around like they were excited about something. He waved back and was suddenly thrown into the water. His Koi fish disappeared. After gaining his senses back he realized that the sun had disappeared. When he looked behind him to see where it had gone he saw a huge fin standing out of the water. He realized that there was something other than the Koi in the ocean. He began swimming as fast as he could trying to use his airbending techniques to get to the shore as fast as he could. He slammed right into Sokka sending them both back quite a distance from the shore towards the edge of the woods.<p>

Aang began getting dressed as he admitted he had no idea what that creature was. Sokka pretended to be the leader again and stated that the party should leave as soon as possible. Suddenly they were surrounded by warriors in green, holding golden fans. Before any of them could make a move the Avatar party and Momo were tied up and blindfolded. As they were walked to their new destination, Aang noticed that it was not too far from the shore. He was sure that they were being led to a village. The three were tied up to a post and told nothing until an older man's voice began speaking:

"You three have some explaining to do", he stated matter-of-factly.

"And if you don't answer all of our questions, we're throwing back into the water with the Unagi", a female growled after him.

"Show yourselves, cowards!" Sokka demanded. Aang and Katara quietly hoped he would shut up after the blindfolds were taken off, but to no avail. "Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?"

"There are no men, we ambushed you. Now tell us, who you are and what are you doing here?" she demanded back.

"Wait a minute, there's no way a bunch of girls took us down", Sokka was beginning to get cocky.

"A bunch of girls, huh?" the female warrior grabbed him by his shirt and got inches within his face, "The Unagi is going to eat well tonight."

"No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it!" Katara interjected, "My brother is just an idiot sometimes."

"No, it's my fault", Aang admitted, "I'm sorry we came here. I wanted to ride the Elephant Koi fish."

"How do we know you're not Fire Nation spies?" the man demanded, "Kyoshi has stayed out of the war so far and we intend to keep it that way."

"This island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang had completely forgot that the island was named after one of his previous lives.

"Ha. How could you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here almost 400 years ago. She's been dead for centuries", the man belittled the young boy.

"I know her because I am the Avatar", Aang smiled. He enjoyed the reaction he received from the warrior girl, stating that there were no airbenders left. He inwardly smiled more when the village leader still did not believe his claims and ordered that he and his companions be sent to that serpent in the ocean.

"Aang, do some airbending", Katara whispered to the boy. She was surprised he hadn't done so already.

Aang lifted himself into the air while pushing the warriors away with his air blast. He somersaulted towards the statue of Kyoshi that was atop the gate into the village and severed the ropes used to bind his hands. He slowly descended and landed in front of the audience of villagers. The headman stared in awe and admitted that Aang had to be the Avatar. It was not long before word of the Avatar's return reached Omashu.

* * *

><p>"My Lady!" one of the soldiers ran up to Ava who was on her way down to Bhumi where he kept his pet Flopsy.<p>

"Yes, is there something the matter?" She was worried something happened to her dear old friend.

"The Avatar has returned. He is currently in Kyoshi", he smiled but was confused as Ava began running away in the direction of the king.

When she reached the layer where Flopsy was kept, she stormed in. "Bhumi, you fiend! You swore you would send word to Kyoshi, to Aang that I was here. He is still in Kyoshi!"

"Yes, you figured that out this morning, remember? You have to give it time. I sent one of my fastest messengers, but it will still take a day and a half at the least for him to get there", Bhumi simply stated as he rubbed Flopsy's tummy, "Give Auntie a kiss would you?"

"Flopsy, you know better. Don't you dare come near me…Flopsy!" Ava yelled as the pet licked her from head to toe, "Go back to your daddy."

Bhumi started laughing his signature laugh and Ava couldn't help but smile. She was getting close to having Aang again, the only problem was she that she was scared.

"Are you frightened about seeing him again?" Bhumi gestured for her to come and sit next to him and lay on Flopsy's stomach.

"What if those feelings aren't there anymore, Bhumi? What if he had done as Kuruk had done?" she admitted.

"I highly doubt that Aang's affections for you could be wiped out so easily. He was always very protective and admiring of you. It used to make me jealous that someone as young as him knew who he would have by his side throughout life", the king grabbed her hand and wrapped it in both of his, "I swear to you, Chalice, if he is nothing short of wonderful, I'll kill him."

Ava laughed at her friend. He always knew the right thing to say and when to say it, even if she didn't want to admit that he was right at the times that he was when she was in a fit about her situation.

"Quit dwelling on the past my dear. Go pick out something new to wear for when he does arrive. I have a feeling as soon as he hears the news that you live, there will be no stopping him from coming to Omashu", Bhumi smiled as he got up from Flopsy's stomach. He aided Ava up as well and began walking with her, their arms linked, back through the palace to the tailor so that the Chalice could look even more beautiful to Aang now than she did before.

* * *

><p>"Katara, you should try one of these" Aang handed a dessert to Katara after taking a bite of one of the many different delectables put in front of them by servants of the headman. Sokka sat in the corner pouting, still upset about getting jumped by the female Kyoshi warriors. Finally he grabbed a handful of goodies and stalked away.<p>

"What's he so angry about? It's great here!" Aang stated as he stuffed his mouth full of a berry pastry. He wanted to stay because for some reason he felt closer to Ava than ever before here. Like she had been here once before, and in an instant he was in a trance:

_It was the dark of night when a ship arrived at Kyoshi. A cloaked figure stepped off of the ship and was escorted by some of the Kyoshi warriors. When the figure was brought to the headman, the hood of the cloak was removed. It was Ava and she seemed very upset. Her face was soiled from dirt and dried tear stains. Her brown eyes were not dancing with the amused undertone that he always found in them. She did not even speak as she was addressed. _

"Aang?" Katara's voice cut through the memory. "Are you alright? Did you hear what I said?"

"Sorry, no, I was just really enjoying this pastry", he lied, "What did you say?"

"Don't get too comfortable, because it's risky for us to stay in one place very long", she mentioned again.

"I'm sure we'll be fine", Aang talked more to himself than to Katara, "Did you see how happy I'm making this town?" His motives were not for the town. Since he had this vision perhaps it was something of Ava. He needed to investigate it. He assured Katara that he would not let the role of being Avatar get to his head and stood up from their conversation. He looked out the window to help him think, who did he need to talk to about the vision he had just had? That's when he heard it, a gaggle of shrieking girls waiting to follow his every step. He took this as a welcome distraction at first but towards the end he was getting annoyed. He wanted to figure out what his vision meant but did not want to involve the siblings until he had an idea of what was going on. It wasn't until he had come to a head with Katara about leaving that he knew he really needed to get down to the truth. He needed to know if there was a chance that she was alive…

Suki, was teaching Sokka the ways of a Kyoshi warrior. During one of their breaks they began talking about his adventure with the Avatar. When he spoke of Aang and his loss of Ava, Suki hugged his neck with tears in her eyes.

"The Chalice lives!" she shouted, "Where is Aang, we must tell him at once!"

"Wait, Suki! What do you mean the Chalice lives?" Sokka grabbed her by her arm, "I need to hear the story before you find him. I need to know if we are talking about the same person, because he can't….he won't survive another disappointment regarding her."

"Over a hundred years ago, about the time of the Airbenders Genocide, a young girl came to stay in our village. My grandmother was a young girl training to become a Kyoshi warrior at the time. She was asked to help escort the girl here, all she was told was that the girl was very important. She found out later from the headman's son, my grandfather, that the girl's name was Ava and she was the Chalice", Suki smiled, "Although I am not sure where she was taken to, I only know that a couple days later she was escorted from here further into the Earth Kingdom."

Sokka hugged Suki and together they took off to find Aang. Sokka was excited to know that Ava had at least not perished in the Genocide. During their search they were stopped by the headman. He stated he had great news to give to the Avatar. Suki assured they would give it to Aang. The headman handed a letter to the warrior and walked away. Sokka snatched the letter from Suki and opened up much to her dismay.

"Ava is alive! And she's in the kingdom of Omashu as the king's guest and has been so for the last hundred years!" Sokka started hopping up and down. "We have to find him!"

"Suki! Someone said they just saw Fire Nation soldiers headed up this way!" a villager called to her.

"Looks like we'll have to have the happy ending later", Sokka looked at Suki who nodded her head in agreement and they ran back to rally the other warriors.

Katara was trying to revive Aang from his recent bout with the Unagi. He had gone to ride the Unagi to impress some of the village girl and he wanted her to come. At first, she refused citing that he had let his new celebrity status get to his head. She finally had to admit to herself that she was worried about the boy and showed up to apologize. He apologized as well and on his way in from the water the Unagi finally showed. Aang did end up riding him but at the great risk of his own life. Katara could feel water in his chest and started working on getting it out.

"_Welcome, Lady Ava, your former master Gyatso asked that I take care of you until your escort from Omashu arrives the day after tomorrow", the headman bowed to the young girl in front of him. _

"_If you would Lady, this way", a warrior urged the girl on. _

_It was suddenly sunrise and Ava was standing on the beach, watching the Koi jump around in the horizon. Tears began to fall from her face as she fell to her knees and began screaming in agony before pushing her hands into the sand and placing her forehead on the back of her palms. 'Why?' she kept thinking ,'What happened to Aang? And why must I go to Omashu?'_

_At lunch she was getting annoyed because no one would tell her anything. She finally broke down in tears to the headman and begged him to tell her what was going on. He revealed to her that the Fire Nation was targeting the Avatar directly and knew that the Avatar was an airbender. They had attacked all four temples simultaneously to ensure his demise. Gyatso had sensed something was going on and made arrangements for both the Avatar and Chalice to come to the Kyoshi Island and then later on into Omashu before finally resting in Ba Sing Se. _

"_Where is the Avatar, my lady? He will be needed in the end", the headman questioned. He had expected a pair, not just the lonely girl._

"_He's gone. I don't know where he is or if he is even still alive. He left almost two weeks ago and has not returned", Ava mumbled as she got up. She walked out of the room without even asking to be dismissed. _

_The next day, an escort had come from Omashu to gather Ava up and prepare her to go to Ba Sing Se. Ava was relieved to see Bhumi and anxious to be around someone who knew how she was. Whenever Aang and she would visit the young earthbender, the three of them had become as thick as thieves. _

Aang awoke after spiting up the water that was in his lungs. He looked to see that he was in Katara's arms again. He teased her to reassure her that he was okay by suggesting not riding the Unagi. He was quick to come back to his senses as soon as Katara informed him that Zuko had shown up and was now attacking the village. He had to save the village and the people because they were the only lead he had going on with Ava right now. He had figured that this was a memory that was sparked by the emotional state she was in at the time she came here.

When he arrived half the village was already destroyed. He called for Zuko's attention after the young prince accused Aang of hiding behind the Kyoshi warriors. Zuko attacked and knocked Aang's staff from his hand. He picked up a pair of the golden fans laying on the ground and used them to send off a very powerful air blast that sent the prince flying into an empty hut. He grabbed his staff and began running. The staff opened in the air and he jumped on looking behind him. The village was in shambles and he was the one responsible. He met up with Katara further up the village row. Katara suggested retreat and even though he was not fond of the idea she had a point, they gathered Sokka, who upon seeing Aang said he had something very important to say as he finished climbing onto Appa. He of course got the rebuttal from Katara about how this wasn't the time or place and interrupted her speech about how retreating was the right thing.

"Aang, Ava is alive!" Sokka shouted as he handed the letter over to the Avatar.

Aang couldn't believe it. But there was something that seemed familiar about the script and he needed to know….he reached with his mind to find her as Gyatso had taught him so long ago to do.

'Ava?' he questioned.

* * *

><p>Ava's eyes grew wide as she heard a voice, a very familiar voice inside of her head. She abruptly stopped her conversation with Bhumi and walked out of the room, ignoring the smile he gave her as he realized that Aang had found the connection between them again.<p>

'A-Aang?' her voice answered.

* * *

><p>Aang's eyes shot open and tears began to fall down his face. Ava was alive! She was alive and waiting for him in Omashu. He knew this island held something for him, it held on to his lover's painful memories and reawakened his connection to her.<p>

'I need your strength to fight here, in Kyoshi', he begged, 'The village is on fire and…' A memory flashed in his mind of the Unagi.

'Use the serpent', Ava commanded, 'I'll be with you.'

"Until the end", Aang announced and jumped off of Appa and headed for the water. He ignored Katara's screams behind him. He was only under water a few seconds before he appeared atop the Unagi's head, using the feelers around its mouth as reins. He made the creature point its mouth towards the village and took advantage of the water attack that came spewing out of its mouth. Once he soaked the village and Zuko's small army he jumped into the air and caught onto Appa.

"I know, I know that was stupid and dangerous", Aang teased as he sat down between his friends. He became quiet as he listened for Ava's voice once more.

'Yes, it was, but it was also AWESOME!', her voice rang in his mind. He smiled as Sokka put his hand on his shoulder and Katara hugged him.

"You must be excited to know that Ava is alive", Sokka commented.

"It's like the world opened up to me and I am now Buddha", he grinned, "To Omashu."

'Come back to me', Ava mused.

"I'm on my way…my Ava", the boy smiled looking happily into the sunset for the first time in the last few weeks.


	7. King of Omashu

**Avatar and Chalice at Last**

Aang could barely contain himself, he was about to be reunited with his true love. A million thoughts were processing through his mind all at once. She was alive, which was the main reason for his excitement. She was safe, which had concerned him; if she had survived he had hoped she had not been taken prisoner somewhere. He would finally be able to hold her in his arms and tell her how much she meant to him, how heartbroken he was at the thought of her demise. He would never leave her side, EVER again. He began blushing at the possibilities.

Katara noticed the mood change in Aang. She was nervous to finally meet Ava. She had known that the young girl had always been on the Avatar's mind. It was a theory at first that because they were predestined to be together that the particular link they had to one another was ordained and unavoidable. Yet the more Katara looked at his gleaming smiles as he spoke of her, the way his eyes began to dance and how his whole aura seemed to lighten everyone up at the mention of her name, was a little overbearing. She knew that it would take a while for him to come to terms with what had happened to his people, but she was more than willing to step in and take Ava's place. She didn't want to admit it, but she was slowly growing attached the young boy.

"The Earth Kingdom of Omashu!" Aang announced triumphantly. He barely let the others take in the sight before he up and ahead of them again. He knew that this was most likely a rude gesture on his part, seeing as how they had never really been away from the South Pole before, but Ava. "I used to always come here and visit my friend, Bumi."

"Aang, are you sure about this?" Katara hesitated as she called out to him. This all seemed too easy. He had been mourning Ava and then all of sudden after word got out that the Avatar was alive, she miraculously shows up in Omashu. It seemed fishy and she was glad to see that her brother agreed.

"Yeah, you'll need a disguise", he concluded, "This just doesn't seem right."

"We were welcomed by the king himself! If the Chalice is welcome, then surely the Avatar is welcome!" Aang countered, "Besides, what I am supposed to do? Grow a mustache?"

The Avatar sighed to himself. The things he did for his friends was unnerving to no end as he wiggled the itchy make shift wig and mustache that Sokka had him put on.

"Great! Now you look like my grandfather!" Sokka announced proudly. He ignored the dirty look he got from Aang.

"Well technically, Aang is a hundred twelve years old", Katara rubbed the salt into the wound.

"Hey!" Aang shot back, "I am not an old man, I mean look at me." He began to dance around and show off. He didn't want to seem old, he wanted to look fresh and young for Ava.

"Alright, calm down!" Sokka patted him on the shoulder, "Let's get you to your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend", the Avatar corrected.

"Wait, what?" Katara was curious. The way he talked about her, the way he was thinking about her…

"She's my soul mate", Aang stated, "There's a HUGE difference."

"Okay, whatever", the water tribe boy began to walk off but was amazed at how Aang wanted to stand his ground on the issue.

"No, not whatever! It's hard to explain. You live for her, you breathe for her, you would do anything and everything for her. She's your best friend and your most trusted confidant. There is no boundaries between the two of you because in actuality, you are one", Aang tried to simplify it.

Sokka had fallen over confused by all of the graphics and details of what a soul mate was, while Katara was blushing madly wishing that she had been the Avatar's soul mate. Aang simply shook his head and laughed at the pair.

"Alright then whipper snappers. The big city awaits!" he humored them by acting old and using his staff. He had been trying to communicate all day with Ava but he was not getting a response and he was beginning to see the suspicions that the siblings had. Why not take a chance at a disguise? If it was useless then there would simply be a good laugh to be had.

* * *

><p>Ava was getting annoyed with the king. She was not seeing what was so grand about his plan for Aang's return.<p>

"Oh let me have a little fun. You always rain on my parade!" Bumi exclaimed.

"Fine, but don't take too long with your games. It's killing me not to answer him!" she huffed as she walked away. She knew that Aang and Bumi would have their laughs about what Bumi had in store for the Avatar but she was ready to see him. Oh! To see him again, see that he was real and not a façade of her imagination. She smiled to herself thinking about what she would do. Would she hug him? Would she slap him? Would she kiss him? Oh the possibilities!

* * *

><p>"You guys are going to love Omashu! The people here are the friendliest in the world", the Avatar smiled as they walked up to the gate of the city. It was then the trio saw a merchant getting thrown from the gates for having rotten cabbages and trying to seek entrance into the city. They looked at each other and then looked to the guards.<p>

"Just keep smiling", Aang was glad that they had suggested the disguise. Perhaps it was going to be easier to get into Omashu pretending to be an old man.

"State your business", a guard demanded as he levitated a giant boulder above Aang's head.

"My business is my business young man and none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!" Aang began pointed his finger in the guard's face. He saw how uncomfortable the siblings were and had to keep from laughing. He even admitted he went a little overboard.

"Settle down, old timer, just tell me who you are", the guard backed down a bit.

"Name's Bonzoo Pippenpadlopsicopolis the Third!", the Avatar shouted out, "And these are my grandkids!"

"Hi! June Pippenpadlopsicopolis", Katara walked up going with Aang's character, "Nice to meet you."

The guard looked suspiciously at the travelling party. He determined that an old man and a couple of kids couldn't be too much trouble, but the old man did cause a ruckus. He advised Katara to keep her "grandfather" out of trouble and scolded Sokka for not carrying the "old man's" bag. The guard became completely confused when he saw a pair of giant ears come out from the old man's hat, but they were already in.

The water tribe siblings were in awe of the city. They had never really seen stone housing before due to being in the South Pole it was just ice and snow. Aang couldn't help but giggle a little at the way they kept looking around.

"This is the Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up and gravity brings them down", Aang explained as they watched the earthbenders in charge of mail work.

"Great! So they get their mail on time.." Sokka was obviously not too impressed.

"They do get their mail on time, but my friend Bumi and I found a better use for these chutes", a wicked grin crossed Aang's face.

"_Look around you!" Bumi announced to his companions, "What do you see?"_

"_Um..the mail system", Aang shrugged his shoulders and looked to Ava as he answered the question. She shrugged hers back. _

"_Instead of seeing what they want you to see, you gotta open your brain to the possibilities", Bumi smiled first at Ava then to Aang._

"_A package-sending system?" Ava was not impressed at all. Bumi had promised fun and so far they hadn't really had any._

"_The world's greatest super slide!" Bumi declared. He laughed at Aang's remark about him being a mad genius and the look of horror on Ava's face. _

"_Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ava's voice faltered. They had decided to put her in the middle of the two, so that if something were to happen she would be safe. She clutched onto Aang tightly and buried her face into his back as Bumi pushed them down the chute. It was cute to see how she clung to him and screamed as if she were being murdered and when they reached the end she was quick to embrace him and make him swear not to make her ride with him on that "thing" again._

"One ride", Aang promised to not only his companions but to Ava as well. He was getting a little worried that he had not been able to communicate with her still, but he figured he would be seeing her shortly. He had to get this out of his system.

* * *

><p>Ava glared at the mailing chutes, quietly listening to her lover's thought process. She rolled her eyes as she remembered that day with Bumi and of course Aang could not resist for nostalgia's sake.<p>

"Is he here yet?" Bumi was bored as he sat on his throne.

"Yes, he's testing out the chutes after all these years", Ava quirked an eyebrow at the king who started laughing.

"My lord, my lady", a guard approached the two, "We have captured some children who have made a mess of the city using the mailing chutes."

Ava and Bumi looked at one another. They began laughing at the damage report so much so that they ended up supporting themselves on the seat of the throne. Neither one was surprised of the damage that Aang caused. The king asked that the children be brought before him. It was then he winked at Ava, letting her know that his latest game with Aang was on. She retired to her room by threat of sutras again from Bumi. She was beginning to think he really didn't know how to do them anyways but she would humor him for now. She wanted to prepare herself mentally for seeing Aang again and she began to meditate.

* * *

><p>Aang could feel her presence in the palace but he could not pin point where it was at. He kept looking around for some clues, any clues as to where she was and when he might see her. He was getting put out with the guards who would not answer where he was being taken to. The Avatar was pleased to see that they were taken straight to the king, but he knew it was for their little adventure down the chutes that ended terribly. This was not the way he wanted to come to Omashu. He wanted to be welcomed and he wanted to have Ava in his arms at this very second.<p>

"Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages", the guard tried not to laugh at the last charge, "What is your judgment, sire?"

Bumi looked at each child. The water tribe boy seemed particularly frightened of the consequences and was stammering to say something. The girl tried to look innocent but he knew she was about as innocent as Ava had been in her campaigns against the Fire Nation. Finally, he looked at Aang who was whistling. He used to do that when he would get nervous, but he could tell that the boy's mind was elsewhere.

"Throw them…", Bumi left a cliffhanger pause, "a feast."

The trio looked to each other and then back at the king who had a proud smile on his face. They looked at the guards who were completely shocked as they were. The king then asked that they sit at the Great Hall table. Aang kept trying to work up the nerve to ask about Ava, but he didn't know if the guards knew and he wanted to keep his true reason for being there discreet as possible.

"The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts. So I hope you like your chicken with no skin", the king waved a chicken leg in front of Aang. He was surprised the young boy declined. Ava had given up on that particular part of being a monk a while back.

"How about you? I bet you like meat", Bumi looked at Sokka and then proceeded to stick the chicken leg in his mouth.

Katara leaned over and whispered to Aang, "Is is just me or is this guy's crown a little crooked?"

"So tell me, young bald one, where are you from?" Bumi interrupted. He knew that Ava would be watching from a secret place and he didn't need the other girl to get too intimate with Aang and ruin his game before it begun.

"I'm from Kangaroo Island", Aang fibbed, "But your majesty, I thought that you had invited us here?"

"What on earth on you talking about?" the king seemed confused, "Kangaroo Island, eh? I heard that place was really hopping!"

It took a few minutes but Sokka began to laugh as the joke finally made sense to him. He was confused as to why his sister and their friend did not think it was a great joke like he did. Aang was completely put out. He kept calling to Ava but did not receive anything from her. Had she only been allowed to communicate with him that one day to lure him here? This was not looking up for him.

The king drew his attention by yawning, "All these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to hit the hay."

Out of nowhere a chicken leg came hurling at Aang. He reacted by using his airbending powers, causing the guards to voice their shock and awe.

"There is an airbender in our presence, and not just any airbender, the Avatar!" Bumi stood up and announced to his subjects, "Now what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pippenpadlopsicopolis?"

"WHERE IS SHE?" Aang stood up and pointed his finger at the king. He was tired of playing games and he wanted to know where HIS Ava was.

"She's safe, I assure you. She awaits you later on in your stay", Bumi assured.

"I'm not staying here any longer than I have to. You will return Ava to me NOW!" Aang's eyes threatened to start glowing.

Ava took this opportunity to send out waves of calming and relaxing suggestions. Wishing them upon Aang and hoping that he take their good measure and realize she was okay. This whole concoction of Bumi's was falling apart. 'Aang, I am perfectly fine, please indulge my friend the king, he's harmless, a little eccentric, but harmless.'

'When will I see you? I need to see you!' he begged her.

'Please believe me, that when you do see me, do not be angry with me.'

'Why would I be angry with you? Ava? AVA?'

"Why would I be angry with her?" Aang demanded of the king. The king smiled and began laughing, ignoring the question.

"You can't keep us here! Let us leave!" Katara demanded as she realized that this was only going to get ugly.

"We're not leaving without Ava!" the Avatar growled.

"Lettuce leaf?" Bumi asked as he bit into a lettuce leaf.

"We're in trouble, this guy's nuts!" Sokka whispered to his friend.

"Tomorrow, the Avatar will face three deadly challenges. But for now the guards will show you to your chambers", the king announced.

"When will I get to see her?" Aang demanded. He was so confused. He kept trying to trigger his Avatar spirit but something was blocking it.

Once the trio had been taken away, Ava walked into the room. She was upset because she thought that Bumi's game had gone too far. His argument was that Aang would understand and find it funny in the end. Her argument was that was his personality one hundred years ago and obviously it wasn't now.

She couldn't help but watch as his tattooed bald head turned the corner with the other two. She sighed and told Bumi he had to do the challenges as quickly as possible. The Chalice was ready to be with the Avatar and rekindle their love.

* * *

><p>Aang had barely fallen asleep when he was woken up by the arrival of a palace guard. He noticed that the siblings were missing and demanded to know where they were. He was informed that they along with Ava would be released once he did the tasks. The Avatar was ready for it, yet he was slightly annoyed a little of center when he appeared before the king and was asked what he thought of the outfit. Aang became upset when the king teased him and said that it was the first test but not necessarily one of the ones he needed to pass to get his girl and his friends back. He rushed the king demanding that he and the others be released at once due to time constraints. The king simply laughed and stated that he figured he would deny him so he had fitted his friends with some "souvenirs".<p>

Sokka and Katara appeared from behind a wall. They had both been fitted with a ring on their finger, called "Creeping Crystal". It would encase their bodies little by little until there was nothing left and they were completely encased. The king promised to remove it once the tasks he asked for were completed.

"Where is Ava?" Aang demanded as he saw his friends. The siblings were a little hurt by his response but knew that Ava was of importance as well.

"She's fine, I assure you. I didn't think it would be wise to have her physically present and all that. It would distract you from your game for now", Bumi promised.

"Aright, I'll do what you want", Aang huffed as he looked at his friends.

The first task was in a cavern. Aang was to retrieve a key from the top of a ladder right in the middle of a waterfall protected by stalagmites. Aang tried to climb up the ladder in the waterfall at first, but there was simply too much force coming down for him to get it. The commentary from the king was not helping either. The idea of Ava physically being there was not as distracting than now that she wasn't. He was getting annoyed and with his last bit of concentration gone he was flung from the water. Thankfully he stopped himself from being impaled from the groin up on one particularly nasty looking stalagmite.

'Are you crazy!' Ava's voice resonated in his head.

"Ava, I don't think I can do this. Are you safe? Are you alright? I just want to see you…to hold you", Aang whispered to himself.

'You won't be able to think the way we were trained', Ava urged on.

Aang considered another possibility and climbed to the top of the cave. He shot down into the waterfall going with the forceful flow downwards, but again he was thrown face first into what seemed to be the same stalagmite he almost impaled himself on. A comment that the king made finally gave him an idea. He broke off the top of the stalagmite and threw it towards the key with a blast of airbending to cut through the water so that the stalagmite spear could cut through the chain. It worked with the chain and key dangling from the spear on the doorway right above the king's head. The king smiled and saw the determination on the boy's face and head the seriousness in his voice when he demanded Ava and the others.

The king stated he had another matter that needed attention. He stated that he had lost his pet. Aang was getting mad, this was ridiculous what he was having to do. First the lunch box key and now a missing pet? Aang shook his head and followed the king to an arena that looked like it held a large animal. Aang was surprised to see that this challenge was easy. There was a long eared rabbit sitting on a rock and Aang assumed it was the infamous Flopsy. The king grinned and opened up his arms stating that he wanted a kiss from Flopsy.

"Come here, Flopsy", Aang started to try and pick up the rabbit when he felt something big behind him. He looked up to see a strange animal that looked like a cross between a pig, a goat, and a rabbit. It was huge. He reached for Aang who quickly dodged the advance and began running trying to catch up with Flopsy. The rabbit hid in the hole and Aang kept trying to reach for it until he realized something. Every time he called the name Flopsy, the big animal chasing him tried to catch him, so….

"Flopsy?" Aang turned around to face the Neanderthal behind him and noticed that the animal stopped upon Aang recognizing him. It began to wag its tail and picked him up and kept licking him. When the king whistled for Flopsy, the animal ran away and jumped up to get to the king. He rolled over on the ground with his belly in the air enjoying the attention it was getting. Aang checked with his friends who were encased from right below their necks until right above their ankles. He demanded the last task from the king so that he could get the creeping crystal off of his friends and see Ava.

The final task was a duel with whatever opponent that Aang chose. The Avatar thought he had chosen wisely by picking the old decrypted king but when the king took off his robes to reveal a well-cut body, his jaw dropped.

'Never underestimate the enemy', Ava's voice sang in his head.

"Right", was all the Avatar mumbled. The duel began and it seemed that both opponents were going to win when finally they came to a draw.

"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart, just as she does", the king laughed as he used his earthbending powers to move up to the ledge that held the water tribe siblings. Aang followed and thought that he would be seeing Ava soon but there was another catch. The king asked that he tell him what his name was.

"Wait what? I am supposed to know your name?" Aang demanded, "Give me, Ava and my friends now!"

"From the looks of your friends, I would say that you only have a few minutes", the king walked away.

Aang talked it over with his friends until he realized that he had to think outside the box on everything and that laugh of the king's…

* * *

><p>Ava walked into the Great Hall. She started clapping her hands and smiling at the king. She bowed, "To the King of Jokes."<p>

"Do you think he will get it?" Bumi sat down on his throne.

"What do you think?" Ava quirked an eyebrow.

Both parties knew the Avatar would come to the right conclusion after being given a moment to figure it out. The pair looked at each other. After over a hundred years this is what it came down. She was going to be reunited.

"Are you nervous?" Bumi inquired.

"More excited than anything, I thought I would be angry you know. He was gone so long and he left me to wonder, to worry, to think the worst. I was all alone in the world", she paused, "I know I had you Bumi, but it wasn't the same."

"I wouldn't expect it would be. The two of you are meant for each other, in this lifetime and all the ones to follow and the ones that have already come to pass", Bumi grabbed her hand; "Let's get your Avatar, hm?"

* * *

><p>The Avatar stood before the king with a smile on his face. "I came up with the answer to your question the same way that I had to face all of your challenges. It's like you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities. Bumi, you're a mad genius!"<p>

Aang ran to his friend and hugged him. He had assumed that his previous life was gone and all that he knew had been wiped out with it. He was happy to see at least one of his friends still lived. "Oh Aang, it's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit."

"Uh..over here", Katara reminded the friends that she and her brother were still being overwhelmed by creeping crystal.

"A little help", Sokka called from his encasement. All that was left of the top of him was his mouth. Bumi quickly used his powers to cause the crystals to explode off of their bodies.

"It's basically rock candy", the king commented as he took a big bite out of a piece that had flown into his hand.

"So the king is really your old friend Bumi?" Katara was confused by what had just happened. The trio looked at him as he stated he was not old and then admitted that perhaps he was.

"So why not just tell Aang who you were? Why go to all the trouble?" Sokka questioned.

"It's pretty fun messing with people, but there really is a point to this", Bumi turned to Aang, "A lot has changed in the last hundred years that you have been gone. You are the Avatar, and you must bring balance to the world. You must master the four elements and defeat the Fire Lord Ozai, and when you do.."

"I hope you think like a mad genius", a female's voice called from behind the king's throne.

Katara and Sokka looked at each other and then to the king, who simply had a bigger grin than the ones that they had seen him brandish before. Aang simply stood there with a strange look on his face.

The girl the statue at the Air temple was fashioned after stood before them, very much alive, very much breathing. She was flesh and blood. Her hair was still long but this time it was completely down instead of in a braid. It cascaded past her shoulders to the middle of her back. She had obviously cut it somewhat. The dress she wore was white and flowing with lotus blossoms decorated all over it. Her earth brown eyes were dancing with the same amusement he was used to seeing. Her olive toned skin looked flawless. Aang didn't notice the way Sokka stared at her, nor the way Katara couldn't help but glare because this was the girl she felt like she had to compete with now for the attentions of not only Aang, but her brother now as well.

"Ava…" Aang began to walk to her but hesitated. He didn't really know what to say to her. He had been begging to see her, longing to hold her, and here she was and he was completely petrified.

"Aren't you going to hold me?" she whispered. Why was he just standing there?

"You have no idea how badly I just want to hold you and kiss you and…", Aang began to blush, "But I am afraid that this is a dream."

"I'm very real, I assure you", Ava walked closer to him until she was but an arm's reach away. She wanted to be sure he truly wanted her. "I still love you, even though you left, even though I have been without you for all these years, I am still very much in love with you."

Aang didn't hesitate at her admittance. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her more passionately then when he did so long ago when his spirit had spoken to her. The feel of her lips on his was almost more than he could bear. They were both breathless by the time they parted and both were weeping. They held on to each other and fell to the ground, staring into each other's eyes, caressing each other's faces and smiling like fools.

Bumi ushered the water tribe siblings out of the great hall and ordered that a feast and pillows be brought in to the pair.

"Looks like we hit another detour", Sokka mumbled.

"You truly do not understand the relationship between those two do you?" Bumi inquired.

"Yeah they're soul mates or something like that…" Katara looked away trying to find something to do to keep her mind off of what was going on in the room.

"They are one soul. No matter how far one is from the other, they shall always find a way to one another. They are connected spiritually and soon to be physically", he joked as he nudged Sokka.

"Shouldn't they be married or something first?" Katara chimed in, "It would be dishonorable."

"Ha!" Bumi laughed, "Aang would never dishonor Ava by doing that and Ava would never allow him to."

"What exactly is their relationship?" Sokka was curious.

"She balances the Avatar as he balances the world. When his soul is in turmoil, it is she who brings it back and heals it. She is the protector of Man as the Avatar is the protector of the Spirit World. They are a bridge that connects both. She connects Man to the Avatar as the Avatar connects Man to the Spirit World. It's quite complicated, but in essence it makes sense", Bumi smiled as he walked away. He was a little disappointed for he knew his longtime companion would be leaving soon. He was not used to the thought of a day without Ava. He was about to go mad while she was away at the Great Library, but he knew her place was with Aang. He smiled as he remembered the day he realized he was in love with her and how for a while he had actually asked her to marry him, but she of course always declined , citing differences. He secretly wished happiness for her, but wanted her to stay. He went to tend to his duties to keep his mind off the fact that she would soon be leaving.

* * *

><p>"Where were you?" Ava whispered as she held his face close to hers.<p>

"Believe it or not I was in an iceburg for almost a hundred years", Aang blushed.

"An iceburg?" Ava sat up from their pillow bed that they were cuddled in.

"Yeah, me and Appa. Katara and Sokka found me, released me, and have been helping me so far", Aang pulled her back down into his embrace, "I'm sorry."

"It couldn't be helped. I saw the nightmare you had a few weeks ago and what happened. You were terrified. I wish I was there with you", she cuddled into his chest as he kissed her head.

"I promise to make it up to you for the rest of this life and forever after", he looked her in the eyes as he held her face to his.

"For eternity", she yawned.

The pair took a nap together on their pillow bed, content to be with each other.

A/N: Sorry about the wait guys, I have more in store for the reunion on the next chapter! Read and Review!


	8. Reacquainted

**Reacquainted**

It had been a couple of hours since the pair had been reunited and Aang awoke from a nap he and Ava had decided to take. He looked down beside him and smiled at the sleeping form. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying her scent. He leaned over and began tracing lines around her face, memorizing every detail again.

"You're going to go cross-eyed from staring at me", she whispered before opening her eyes.

"Then let me be cross-eyed", he began to stand up but was pulled back down. She embraced him from behind.

"How did you feel?" Ava inquired.

"Like my world had ended and I was living in a nightmare. To live in a world without you…"Aang began to cry as he held her hands to his chest, "And you?"

Ava sighed. She did not want to reveal her emotions. She had pent them up inside for so long, but this was her soul mate, there was no reason to be guarded around him. She wasn't alone anymore.

"Gyatso was worried. He had been worried since you left, but it wasn't for your leaving. He was almost afraid of something that was coming. I was terrified the day the Fire Nation arrived. You could see their fires burning for miles from the temple. Gyatso pretty much threw me on a flying bison and sent me off. The bison was shot down and I ended up travelling to a small village. They sent world to Omashu's king letting him know that I was alive and needed protection. The Kyoshi warriors escorted me back to their island where I stayed for a few days until Bumi came and got me. I kept waiting for you to show, but…"Ava began to tear up, "I assumed you were dead until recently. I kept trying to figure out why I didn't age, why I had been left behind."

"Thinking you were dead was bad enough but no **knowing** for a hundred years", Aang shook his head and pulled the girl into a tight embrace, "I never meant to hurt you."

"Funny isn't it?" Ava laughed, "You left to find a place that we could be together and we were separated anyway."

"Seems the world was against me", the Avatar sounded defeated.

"Enough of this", the Chalice kissed his cheek and pulled from his embrace, "Properly introduce me to your friends."

"Can't we just stay here for a bit longer? I don't feel like sharing you right away", Aang admitted, "What have you done these last hundred years?"

"I'm not **exactly** the same Ava from long ago. I don't practice our teachings anymore. I led a campaign against the firebenders for a few years", Ava worried at her confession, "I've killed Fire Nation soldiers, Aang."

"You sought revenge for our people?" he was surprised. He couldn't imagine HIS Ava killing anyone or being vengeful.

"I did a lot of things I'm not proud of", she whispered and looked away.

"What other things?" Aang was beginning to wonder if this was still HIS Ava.

"I eat meat. I love it! It's quite delicious!" she laughed, but realized Aang was being serious, "I gave no mercy when our people were not afforded this option. I took my vengeance out and my heart grew dark. It was many years before I learned to laugh again, to be human, instead of the mindless killing machine, with Bumi's help."

"You never were with anyone else?" Aang was curious.

"No", the Chalice was a little angry by the question, "Bumi did ask me to marry him for a while, but I always said no."

"What?" the Avatar's eyes flickered as he stood up and began to march out of the hall.

"Aang?" Ava called after him and then it dawned on her and she began running behind him.

"Hey, Aang!" Sokka greeted the airbender and was surprised to receive no response. It was then he noticed Ava running down the hall calling after the Avatar.

"What's going on?" the water tribe boy stopped the girl.

"I think he's looking for Bumi", Ava sighed and asked a passing guard where the king was.

"He's in the garden, milady", he seemed confused.

Ava took off in the opposite direction of Aang and ran to the gardens. When she saw the king she started to call his name when she saw Aang appear on the other side. He noticed her as well and the two began running towards Bumi. Unfortunately, Aang was the first to greet the king…with a fist in the face. Ava stood where she stopped once Aang's knuckles made contact.

"Aang!" she screamed as she ran up and began checking on Bumi, who simply smiled showing his bloody mouth.

"How dare you!" she galred at the Avatar.

"How dare **I**? How dare **HE**!", Aang pointed at Bumi, "He knew, he knew you were to be **MY** wife."

"Yes, but you had been gone almost five years when I asked her", Bumi explained, "For all we knew, you were dead."

Ava helped her old friend up and scowled, "If you would have listened to the rest, it's been over eighty years since he last asked me to marry him."

"I'm sorry, it's just…I wouldn't be able to angry, even if you had married. This is all a lot to take in", Aang fell to the ground in defeat and rested his elbows on his elevated knees, cupping his head down in shame.

"I'm sorry, Bumi. I shouldn't have hit you. It's just frustrating to hear this because **I** should have been here. **I** should be your husband and **we** should have grandkids by now and…**you** should have never suffered", the Avatar growled.

The king finished brushing off the dirt from his robes and began laughing.

"The two of you **are** made for each other, always dwelling on the past. So you were separated for over a hundred years, you have found each other again! So I fell in love with Ava and asked her to marry me, she said no! The two of you must move on if you are going to bring the world into balance."

Ava walked over to Aang and offered her hand to him. He was confused by her gesture. He had just punched her best friend in the face and now she was smiling at him.

"We have to be together. If we are parted then so is our cause", she announced, "So I ask you, Avatar, shall we?"

"Challenge accepted", he said as she pulled him up into her embrace.

Bumi hugged both of his friends tightly and announced that they had to stay the night as he pointed to the setting sun.

"Shall we have yet another feast? And this time you **can't **say no!" the king pinched Ava's cheek and walked away to go have his servants prepare for the night's festivities.

"What was that about?" Aang was confused.

"He throws a feast every week to celebrate not being controlled by the Fire Nation. I never attend", she stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, you will with me tonight", Aang smiled as he squeezed her hand. Just then one of her chambermaids ran up and started hugging her.

"Oh, Milady! I'm so happy for you! Come let's get you and the other girl ready. My Lord, the king requests that you and your male companion meet with him in the Great Hall so that you may have a change of clothes for the feast!" the woman smiled at her mistress and tore her away.

Aang stood dumbfounded trying to register what was being said, when another servant came out to the gardens to retrieve him.

* * *

><p>Ava smiled and patiently listened to her ladies in waiting gossiping about what had transpired during the day. She noticed that Katara was being quiet and hardly spoke when her maids would ask her something.<p>

"I do apologize if you seemed a little overwhelmed. They can be that way some times. I fear we have yet to be properly introduced, I was waiting for Aang to do so but he didn't. I am Ava", the girl smiled warmly.

"I'm Katar of the Southern Water Tribe", the girl meekly smiled back.

"Don't worry. I don't bite hard", Ava laughed, hoping to break some of the tension but she could tell that the girl simply was not comfortable to relax.

"How shall we do your hair?" the top chambermaid looked in the mirror, tossing Ava's hair about.

"I can't stand to have it down, it gets in my way", the Chalice then turned to Katara, "What do you think?"

"I really couldn't tell you, Milady", Katara avoided eye contact. It was bad enough that she would most likely have to suffer the rest of this journey with her and now the girl was being over-friendly.

"I'm not trying to waltz in on your dance here, my dear", Ava cut the politeness and trying to act like the girl's age. She was far older even though she appeared to be the same age. "I am trying to get to know the young woman who has kept Aang's interests at heart in my absence."

Katara immediately blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I see the way you look at him. It's the same way I look at him", Ava leaned in after dismissing the women who were helping them prepare.

"I know that you think you see some twinge of something there, but I assure you, Milady, there is nothing there", Katara was trying to play it cool. She knew that this girl was not stupid and knew court games being in Bumi's court for so long.

"I do not hold a grudge against you. He is quite breathtaking in every sense, but should you cross the line at any time without him sending me away first, I will make you regret the day that you ever laid eyes on me", Ava gave a wicked smile.

Katara was completely shocked. The way that Aang had portrayed this girl was innocent and sweet. In this moment the girl was anything but that. She looked forward and decided that she would speak her mind. "All I ask is that we be civil for his sake."

"We shall be civil", Ava motioned for the chambermaids to return, "In fact I wouldn't mind being friends, so long as you know, he's MINE."

"Understood", Katara smiled.

By the time the preparations were done, the girls were ready. Ava wore a black kimono with golden branches reaching everywhere dotted by silver cherry blossoms. Her hair had been pinned up in a bun with silver chopsticks that had the airbender symbol hanging from a piece of leather attached at both ends. She had a little eye makeup with a clear gloss over her lips. Katara had been dressed in a beautiful blue kimono that was dark at the bottom and was lighter the higher up it went with current designs here and there. Her hair was curled and hanging in a sweeping motion behind the nape of her neck. She too wore some eye makeup and a light pink gloss on her lips. They waited until they were told to meet the guys at the stairs.

* * *

><p>Aang was nervous, he felt like he was going to some type of ball, rather than a feast. Bumi tried to assure his old friend that this was a feast and nothing more, although he did admit there was dancing. Sokka seemed completely bored with having to dress nicely for a feast, he was simply ready for the food.<p>

"I don't know about leaving Katara alone with Ava", Sokka admitted as he checked himself out in the mirror.

"Why do you say that?" Aang smiled, making sure he had nothing in his teeth.

"Honestly Aang, are you that blind?" Bumi started laughing as he handed his servant back the shirt that they had picked out and shook his head no.

"What do you mean?" the Avatar wasn't sure what they were getting at. Ava would make sure to make Katara feel fine.

"I don't know if you haven't noticed, but my sister kind of has a thing for you", Sokka stepped down from the stool he had been placed on and started to put his shoes on.

"I had noticed, but I don't think Ava would make her feel uncomfortable about it", Aang followed suit.

"Ava is not the same Ava", Bumi walked up to both young boys, "She's been playing cat and mouse games with my court since she quit her Fire Nation conquests."

"So what she's more cunning or something?" Aang waved his arms about and started laughing, "I **know** Ava and I am sure she is trying to make Katara feel right at home."

* * *

><p>His theory was proven wrong as the men approached the bottom of the stairs and was catching the last half of what seemed to be a very heated argument between the two girls.<p>

"What is your problem?" Ava sighed as she looked down and saw Aang. She decided to end this argument by walking down the stairs but was surprised when Katara had the nerve to touch her by pulling on her shoulder to make her look at her.

"My **problem** is you saying that I have feelings for Aang when I don't! You don't need to threaten something that isn't there!" Katara growled.

"Fine, I guess you don't have any feelings for Aang, which suits me fine, but you touch me again, little mermaid, and I will break your fingers", Ava's voice was cold and calculating.

"Little mermaid? Really? You couldn't be more original? You…you..", Katara was at a loss for words.

"What's wrong, penguin got your tongue?" Ava laughed as she turned around and began walking down the stairs again.

Katara in a fit of rage descended the stairs faster and put herself between Ava and Aang. "Don't think that you can just walk all over me. I won't stand for it!"

"Get out of my way or your pride will fall faster than your ass", Ava warned.

Aang stood in shock of the way Ava was speaking to Katara. He knew that there might be that somewhat awkwardness between them, but not full scale war. He had to end this before it ended up being a bloody fight, which the mood Ava was in, she would show little mercy on her opponent.

"STOP!" he yelled over the two girls, "This is ridiculous! You're supposed to be getting along."

Both girls rolled their eyes as they turned their backs on one another. Katara had a smirk on her face as she saw Aang pull Ava away and get onto her, but she was more or less pissed when her brother attempted to do the same.

"What the hell is your problem?" Sokka whispered as she yanked her arm away from him.

"She's been poking and prodding since we got dressed. She keeps threatening me about if I should cross a line with Aang", she started and noticed the look on her brother's face.

"Listen, Katara, you can't make her mad! She's killed people before for god sakes. Not to mention she is one of the two most powerful beings in this world. I've seen the way you look at him, I'm not saying you can't have feelings for the guy but at least be better about hiding them!" he warned.

"What are you talking about?" Katara threw her hands up in the air.

"Truce!" her brother demanded and walked behind her as she approached the middle.

* * *

><p>"Why are you giving her such a hard time?" Aang started accusing Ava.<p>

"Don't you see the longing looks she gives you as if your word would make everything in the world right?" Ava hissed, "I am not going to idly sit by and watch that!"

"Ava, all I ask is that you be civil. You don't have to be the best of friends and you don't have to be kind, but show some respect to her would you?" the Avatar decreed.

She could feel his spirit trying to dominate hers and let her know that he meant business. She rolled her eyes and began to walk towards the middle and meet Katara.

* * *

><p>Both girls stuck their hands out and shook with the men around them praying this would be the end of the bickering. "Truce", they both announced in unison. The king simply smiled at the newly formed tentative allegiance and led the party over to the banquet table. He had Ava and Aang sit on the right of him with Katara and Sokka on the left. The music stopped for the king to make his announcement.<p>

"My loyal subjects of Omashu, we have survived yet another week without Fire Nation rule. So long as we keep our spirits high as well as our defenses then we shall not falter to the dying dragons!", he yelled and then continued after the cheers, "Tonight we also say farewell to our beloved, Lady Ava."

The crowd grew silent. All eyes were on the frame of the girl who had been by the king's side for so long. The entire city had known of Ava's position and being that one of the high ranking officials in the Order of the Lotus Blossom was their leader, they were already in the know. It was a well-kept secret in Omashu that they had housed the Chalice for over a hundred years and now she was leaving them. Sobs could be heard throughout the crowd.

"We shall miss our Lady! She had brightened the heart of all who came to be here in Omashu. She had seen the rise and fall of this great city and has been a welcomed companion to this old man for many a year now. We bid her farewell and safe journey as she joins the Avatar in his quest against Lord Ozai.", he raised his wine glass for a toast, "To our champion!"

"To our champion!" the crowd cheered back.

"Champion?" Katara questioned Bumi as soon as he took his seat.

"Yes, you see, my dear, my defenses would not be wholly what they are today if it wasn't for that woman right there", he pointed at Ava as she and Aang began dancing with the city as the music began again, "She drove the Fire Nation to edge of the Earth Kingdom and helped Ba Sing Se in their siege by General Iroh, the brother of Lord Ozai."

"She truly is a warrior of great caliber, but she is also human, very much so being the epitome of the human spirit. She has known love, pain, sorrow, revenge, jealousy..", the king continued and winked at the water tribe girl, "She has been many things and has seen much in the hundred years she was separated from Aang."

"So, he's as much her anchor in this world as she is to him?" Katara was beginning to see the importance of their relationship, even though it pained her.

"When you get upset what do you think of?" the king inquired.

"The sound of the ocean and waves breaking. It helps me with my temper, most of the time", she sheepishly admitted.

"And you young man, what do you think of when you are upset?" Bumi asked Sokka.

"I think of penguin sledding and how funny I must have looked", Sokka started laughing and crying at the same time. Both Katara and Bumi looked at each other with perplexed looks on their faces.

"It is only natural for man to find solace in a forest, find comfort in the ocean sounds, or riding animals…we adhere to nature", Bumi explained, "He is all of that for her as nature and the spirits have need of man for nurturing, as she is for him."

The rest of the night went without any drama from either Katara or Ava. It was beginning to get late as the feast began to wind down. Bumi allowed Aang and Ava to have a room together for the night, knowing nothing dishonorable would happen. The couple snuggled into the blankets on the giant bed in Ava's room. Ava closed her eyes and relished in the fact of Aang's arms being around her. She breathed in his scent and smiled.


	9. Spirit World

**Spirit World**

Ava awoke with a start when she felt an arm wrap around her. She was not used to sharing her bed, not that she was complaining. How many nights did she wish she had him once more? She turned over to face him and was pleasantly surprised to see he was wide awake.

"How long have you been up?" She asked.

"A while, I hope you don't mind that I was watching you sleep…you seemed like you were truly resting", Aang smiled as he pulled her tighter into his embrace. He didn't want to get out of this bed, he didn't want to share her with the world, he didn't want to be the Avatar once again.

"What are you thinking?" Ava's voice ruined his train of thought, "I remember that look."

Ava quickly pulled away from his embrace and climbed out of bed. "You can't leave me", she simply stated as she walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room, "I won't survive if you disappear again."

"I'm not going anywhere", Aang assured her as he whispered into her ear while wrapping his arms around her and looking into the mirror. He could already see a storm brewing in her eyes and knew not to try anything with her today. He kissed her cheek and walked away towards the bedroom door. "I'll be waiting for you with Appa outside."

She smiled. When he left she had to pinch herself. She was leaving Omashu, and this time it was not for a retreat, it was for good. She was finally taking her place beside her soul mate and she finally felt like for the first time in a hundred years, she was doing what she was supposed to do. Her chambermaids were a mess trying to get her ready to leave. They had served her for so long and some had mothers and grandmothers who had served before them. It was a little emotional. She had seen them grow up and one of them was actually engaged to get married. How she would miss them, but her saddest moment would be saying goodbye to her beloved king.

For a hundred years the only person who had been by her side, the constant that Aang should have been…she had to leave him and she was not sure if she felt comfortable with the idea. There was a feeling of regret…what if he died while she was gone? He had no heirs to speak of and it was always decided that she would take over rule of the city should something happen. She should go? She was suddenly conflicted. Every day in Omashu was a curse it seemed, but now that she was leaving it seemed like a blessing. One more day with people who cared for her and one day less she had to think about Aang being gone. Ava shook the thoughts from her head, what was she thinking? She finally had her wish come true and she was seriously thinking of letting it slip away from her again.

Aang stood outside with Appa, Katara, and Sokka. He had noticed that Ava was taking her time saying goodbye and he knew that this was hard for her. Omashu had become her home after the downfall of the Southern Air Temple and with his return he was once again asking her to uproot where she was staying and live the life of a nomad again. He made a promise to himself that once their mission had been complete they would settle down in whatever part of the world that she felt was home and start a family, something stable and constant unlike the lives they were meant to lead. He had to subdue the jealousy he felt at the hug that was shared between the Chalice and the king of Omashu. It seemed to last longer than what he thought it should have but at the same time Bhumi kissed Ava's head and she smiled. He knew that this was most likely acceptable between the two but he felt that it was inappropriate, especially with him standing a few feet away. He shook the idea of hitting the king in his face again from his head and smiled as the Chalice made her way over to him, her TRUE soul mate.

Katara noticed the look on Aang's face and wanted to comfort him, but had to stop herself by not only the voice inside her head screaming it was not her job anymore, not to mention the look she received from her brother. She didn't care that Ava was one of the most powerful beings in the world. She was flirting with disaster by hurting the only other powerful person in the world. It just didn't seem right. Katara kept her distance even when they loaded up on Appa. She didn't want to look at the couple anymore and kept looking over the side of the flying bison, wishing that she could make herself disappear. This was going to be a hard journey.

The ride was a little more than awkward as no one spoke until they happened upon a sight that sent shivers down the Avatar and Chalice's spines. The land was burnt and looked like a scar and deformed the beautiful landscape that it had once been. Aang immediately had Appa land and the group walked around. Ava could tell this type of malice towards nature was affecting her Avatar. The pain they shared was enough to bring her to tears as she placed her hand on his shoulder while he sat defeated, letting the ash fall between his fingers.

"I could have prevented things like this", he whispered as he hung his head.

"Aang, not even the Avatar could prevent something like this, if you were nowhere near when it occurred", Ava tried to comfort him, but she could tell his stubbornness was rearing its ugly head.

"I could have. I've been gone for so long and the world is so out of balance", he mumbled.

"Even if you could have prevented this, things like this occur more often than you think. The world is evolving and instances like this are common amongst the men of this era. Most have forgotten the spirits or even honor them now. There are very few who still see nature as a living thing…right?" The Chalice looked to the siblings to back up her statement.

"She's right, Aang. Very people know about the spirits anymore, and if they do they fear them rather than revere them", Katara quietly agreed.

"I have to right all the wrongs that would not have happened if I had taken my place as the Avatar. The only problem is that I don't know the first thing about being the Avatar", Aang looked to the group surrounding him as he stood up, "You have had a chance to practice being the Chalice whereas I am lost being who I am supposed to be."

"You think I have had practice?" Ava laughed, "I am supposed to balance you and you have been missing for over a hundred years. You think I have the first clue about being the Chalice?"

"Aren't there like scrolls to explain all this stuff?" Sokka interjected.

"The scrolls that I have read don't mean anything without knowing first-hand what they mean to begin with", Ava sighed, "Trust me, I've had a century to read them all."

"Look, the first thing we need to do is get to the North Pole for a teacher for Aang. Maybe the more the two of you learn together, the more everything will start to make sense", Katara encouraged. She was surprised to see the genuine smile that Ava gave her.

"Thank you, Katara", she whispered as she noticed something.

"Katara, do you see what I see?" the Chalice giggled as she grabbed the girl and began walking in the opposite direction of Sokka and Aang.

"What?" Katara smiled as she took the present the other girl gave her and with a nod ran to Aang.

"Are you ready to be cheered up, Aang?" the water tribe girl gloated as she held a couple of acorns in her hand.

"Not really", the young boy sighed, but was shocked when he was hit in the side of the head with something hard. He looked down to see the acorn that Katara was previously holding in her hand. He couldn't help but laugh when she got Sokka with one too.

"See, these are seeds and they are EVERYWHERE! The forest will grow back and soon the trees that were standing here will be replaced by stronger ones and the wildlife will return!" Katara smiled as Ava stood in front of Aang in a protective stance.

"What's wrong?" Sokka looked to where the young girl was glaring and took the same measures with his younger sister, "Who are you?"

"I couldn't help myself. I saw the flying bison and I had to see for myself. By the markings you two possess. Are you airbenders?" the man pointed the perplexed couple in front of him.

"Why?" Ava's voice was cold and demanding.

"Are you the Avatar, child?" the old man ignored the Chalice and spoke directly to Aang. He in turn looked to the others who slightly shook their head in agreement. He then shook his head "yes".

"My village desperately needs your help", the old man pleaded. He convinced the group to accompany him back to his village to see what was ailing them so.

They all noticed the damage that the village had suffered with completely destroyed homes. Something foul had been rendering havoc amongst this quiet village. The old man brought them before another man in a town hall building. It seemed the entire village had taken refuge there. The village chief then began to talk about a spirit monster of black and white that had been plaguing the village for the past few days. It was angry with them but no one knew why. Ava had a guess…

They voiced their concerns about fellow villagers that had been abducted and were being held by the spirit monster and with the Solstice fast approaching, they were worried they would never see their departed comrades again.

"What's going to happen on the Solstice?" Katara was confused.

"The Solstices are the only days in which the Spirit World and the Human World become one, allowing them to coexist for a time. The Spirits are quite strong during this time and could pose a threat, not to mention an already angry spirit is capable of anything", Ava explained and the villagers agreed.

"What do you think I can do?" Aang was afraid of the answer.

"Who better to resolve our conflict than the Avatar himself", the old man smiled, "You are the bridge that connects the Human world to the Spirits."

"Right…", Aang tried to sound confident, but the girls could tell he was failing miserably.

"Can we have a group meeting over here for a second? Excuse us", Ava smiled as she gathered her comrades, "Aang, what are your reservations towards this?"

"What reservations DON'T I have…You know I don't know the first thing about how to handle something like this", he was surprised to see that not even Ava realized, "I didn't complete my training as the Avatar, remember?"

"Speak with the spirit…see if an understanding can be reached. Most spirits are more than willing to negotiate, it's usually the fact that no one pays attention to their opinions on things to begin with…", Ava suggested.

"We believe in you", Katara encouraged as well. The girls both ended up hitting Sokka in the back of the head for his negative comment about them getting eaten by a spirit monster because the Avatar was "winging" it.

At sunset, Aang and Ava were standing outside on the porch of the town hall. The Chalice was trying her best to comfort her soul mate, but it seemed he was too nervous to hear her encouraging words. He seemed to settle down a bit when she held his hand.

"Speak to him, reach out…see what might be troubling him", she whispered. Aang lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her hand, closing his eyes and relishing her comforting presence.

"Um…Spirit…I'm the Avatar", he began as he walked towards the entrance of the village, "I am here to try and help stuff…"

"This isn't right, Aang shouldn't have to walk around, waiting for some monster to show up. He shouldn't have to do this alone", Sokka sulked. He hadn't seen any action in a few days and he was actually concerned about his young friend.

"He's not alone….Ava is with him", Katara reminded.

The sun disappeared behind the mountains that towered over the village. Aang looked around for the ferocious creature named Habai, but none appeared. The villagers said that he normally made his presence known soon after the sun set. Aang did a little show by twirling his staff and planting in the ground while politely asking the spirit to leave the village be. He thought he had settled the matter and began to return to Ava's waiting form on the porch when suddenly the spirit appeared behind him. He wouldn't have known except for Ava's expression gave it away, not to mention the beast ran right over him and began destroying buildings. Aang kept trying to speak with Habai but was unable to get it to stop long enough to hear what he had to say. He could barely hear Ava tell him to forget negotiations and begin more aggressive means as the beast made its way toward her. Aang's protective emotions kicked in to high gear and it seemed within the blink of an eye he was standing between the creature and Ava.

"I command you to stop now!" he demanded, but was swiftly swiped out of the way.

Ava took some defensive moves and got out of the way and ran towards her Avatar to make sure he was okay.

"Are you alright?" she began looking him over.

"I think my pride was hurt more than anything", he admitted, "I don't get it…what's with this spirit?"

"He's angry…very angry about something…", it was then Ava noticed Sokka becoming part of the fray.

"We'll fight him together", Sokka announced as he made his way over to the couple.

"I don't want to fight him unless I…", Aang's stance on resolving without the use of violence was stopped short as the creature snatched Sokka up and took off out of the village. Aang was hot on its trail, leaving Ava and Katara behind.

"Sokka!" Katara called out as she tried to chase after her brother and Aang but was stopped by Ava. She was angry that the Chalice had stopped her and started to strike at the intimidating pose.

"Are you done throwing your temper tantrum?" Ava stoically asked.

"He took my brother! He's all I have left in the world!" the water tribe girl didn't understand why the other girl was being so…heartless and cold.

"Yes, I understand that, but what can YOU do? You haven't the strength to fight a spirit. Let Aang handle this, he will find a way…I know he will…", she turned to look down the path, praying that her Avatar return to her.

"How do you know he will?" Katara asked between sobs. She tried to pull away from the other girl's fierce embrace but failed.

"They will come back to us, little mermaid. I promise you that", Ava whispered as she noticed Katara beginning to get tired as the night waned.

"I know this is a personal question to ask…but I have to…I know it's not my place…but…do you love him? I mean after almost a century of him being gone only to learn that he disappeared due to childish reasons and worried you for so long…do you still truly love him?" Katara clamped her mouth shut with both her hands after realizing what her sleepy mind let slip.

"Of course I love him. He is my soul mate…but he's more than that. Yes, Buhmi was my best friend in his absence, but Aang was an outcast with me. To be the Chalice is trying. I am bound to him for eternity and not every lifetime has a happy ending. The one previously before we became airbenders was plagued with greed and jealousy. I lost him to the Fire Lord at that time and died of a broken heart in your village. There was even a time when he fell in love with another woman and I had passed from my grief and my spirit guardian murdered the woman shortly after their marriage. Our relationship spans over time and surpasses all of the greatest romances that were and shall ever be written, but our suffering is just as great. With our love comes great sacrifice and in this lifetime, he is worth it", the Chalice's eyes were growing heavy, "Why do you love him?"

"I don't", Katara blushed but knew that she had been caught yet again, "The way he loves you, makes me wish I had someone who loved me just as great."

"Based off of?" Ava was curious to know what had happened before they had reached Omashu.

"He was devastated when we reached the Southern Air Temple and its ruins. He was hoping to find some clue as to how to find you. He is always talking about you and even in his eyes you can tell he is plagued by the memory of leaving you behind. He was desperate to find you, even if it was your grave he found, he had to see you one last time…it was hopelessly romantic the way he tried to reach out to you, even if you had passed on…", the water tribe girl looked at her feet.

"So you're in love with our love story? Is that it?" Ava laughed.

"I guess so…not to mention he's not that bad to look at…", Katara laughed as well. It was good to start trying to get to know the apple of Aang's eye.

"No, he's not is he? I thought he was simply adorable when I first met him. I couldn't hate him anymore when I finally saw him in flesh and blood", she admitted.

"What do you mean hate him?" Katara was shocked at the confession.

"I was raised to be the Chalice. My life was supposed to revolve around the Avatar. Do you know how annoying that is? To be told that your sole purpose in life is to please one being? It wasn't like I even had a choice…", Ava growled, "I resented him from afar because I was told I HAD to be with him, no matter what."

"They chose for you?" the water tribe girl couldn't believe that the greatest love story she had ever heard was falling apart before her. She had always imagined when she was a child that the Avatar and the Chalice were constantly in love, not having to fall in love all over again.

"Well it was more of when we became a 'realized' Avatar and Chalice, we would remember all of our past lives and how we had loved each other in them and it would simply be a continuation, but until that moment it felt like we were being forced together", Ava explained.

"So you guys are on your continuation?" Katara was beginning to see that she was no rival. She was never meant to be with Aang in that way.

"Yes, we both 'realized' right before he disappeared. I think that is why the separation was so hard on both of us", the Chalice yawned, "Are you going to go inside?"

"No, my brother is out there still…not to mention that I think you won't be joining me and you're the only person I know here…", Katara shyly admitted.

"Alright, little mermaid, you can stay out here with Appa and me. But don't expect me to cuddle with you", the older girl teased.

"I wouldn't expect that at all, light weight", she teased back.

"Oh, you think you got insulting skills now, eh?" Ava giggled.

"I am a fast learner, not to mention I had a great teacher…", Katara yawned as she settled her head on Ava's shoulder.

Eventually both girls fell asleep sitting near the gate waiting for their boys to come back.

The sun began to rise as the old man came out to the gate to check on the girls. Ava had this eerie feeling that Aang was close by, but she would wait until after the elderly villager went away for her to share her feelings with her companion. Katara fell asleep again as soon as he went away, leaving no time for Ava to say anything, and leaving her more irritated than before. 'If he left again…', she silently growled to herself. She was jolted out of her anger by Appa's loud snort in her face. Ava laughed to herself as she gently rubbed the bison's nose and started to stand up, forgetting that Katara was using her as support. When the water tribe girl was woken up by hitting the dirt beneath her, she looked up at Ava who apologetically explained that she was tired and forgot that the girl was leaning against her.

"Are you worried?" Katara asked as they began to walk with Appa over to a source of water.

"He's near I can feel him…but he seems far away too…I don't like the feeling at all", Ava admitted but quickly realized her mistake by the worried look her acquaintance was giving her, "Don't worry, I'm sure they are fine."

Just then Ava felt something more powerful amongst them. Something that seemed familiar and strange at the same time, leading her to excuse herself from Katara's company. She walked away to meditate, something she felt she had to do. After only a few minutes, she opened her eyes, feeling defeated when a familiar embrace wrapped around her frame.

"Ava!" Aang shouted as he let go of her, looking over her.

"What's going on?" She began looking around when she noticed her body was still sitting up in her meditation position, eyes glowing.

"I think we are in the spirit world", he admitted sheepishly as he pointed over to a dragon.

"A dragon!" she screamed as she put herself between him and the beast.

"No, I don't think he means any harm, but…", the Avatar started.

"Dragons are rare", the Chalice admitted, "They haven't been seen since before we were born, not since…"

"Roku…", Aang finished, "But this dragon seems familiar."

"You get that feeling too?" Ava questioned as she walked towards the creature. It bent down and allowed her to pet its snout.

"You don't think it was our dragon in a past life…do you?" Aang quietly asked.

"It seems that it is…dragons are particular with people…", Ava explained. She had read something about it in the Great Library.

The dragon's beard slowly parted in two and touched each of their foreheads. A memory flashed before them and it was Roku and a woman…most likely Roku's Chalice and the name Yuki suddenly branded into their minds.

"Your Avatar Roku's animal guide…like Appa is to me…"Aang smiled as the dragon bowed at the greeting.

"We need a way to save a friend of ours…and we don't know how", Ava admitted to the dragon, "Is there a way for us to talk to Roku and Yuki?"

The dragon wrapped its long neck around the couple and offered for them to ride on its back. The pair looked warily at each other promising to one another that if something bad happened because of this they would protect each other. Slowly they climbed onto the dragon's neck right behind its head. Ava held on tight to Aang as it took to the air and began to take them to Aang's commanded direction: to the previous Avatar and Chalice. The dragon flew faster than they expected and suddenly they were in Fire Nation territory, making their way to a crescent shaped island, towards what looked like some sort of temple. They both began to scream as the dragon cut through the building as if it were nothing. When they landed, they were in some room at the very top of the temple, standing before two statues. One was of an elderly looking man with long hair and a long beard. Hanging on his arm, was an elderly looking lady with a fan placed, unfolded across her chest. The two immediately knew it was their past lives in statue form before them.

"I don't understand", Aang walked to the front of the statue with Ava clinging close to him, "This is just their statues…"

They both turned to the dragon in time for him to place his beard on their foreheads once more and show them another image. It was a comet speeding through space. The couple knew then that they had to speak with their former selves to find out what this meant. When probing the dragon for more information on when they could achieve that goal, he showed them another image. It was the calendar moving very quickly to the day of the Solstice and sun beaming down in two different rays onto their faces.

"So we need to return during the Solstice to speak with them…", Aang announced their thoughts aloud, "But that doesn't help me with the situation concerning my friend, Sokka."

The dragon quickly took the pair off of the island on the way to the scrap of land that had been burnt. Sitting atop a statue that resembled a bear was Aang's body. He had not even known he had left it earlier. The dragon sped straight through and Aang awoke… only Ava was not with him. He raced to the village after the direction of the dragon that it took after leaving him at his body. When he reached the village Katara was crying.

"What's wrong?" Aang called to her as he desperately looked around for Ava, "Where is she?"

"She went into a trance, Aang. She won't wake up", the water tribe girl cried as she pulled the Avatar with her to where Ava's body lay. She was no longer in her meditation form, but laying on her back. He ran to her, laying his ear next her chest to see if she was breathing. He could not tell, so he gathered her up into his arms and held her to him. "Please, please, please, wake up. This is all my fault if you don't. Please, love, open your eyes", he pleaded as his eyes began to glow. "Return to me!"

Ava's eyes shot open, glowing in tune with her Avatar's. Both pairs of eyes returned to their normal colors when she began to stir within his grasp.

"I'm sorry to worry you. I haven't meditated like that…well…ever", she shook her head as Aang's hands grasped her face.

"Don't EVER do that again, not without me here with you", he told her as he helped her up.

"Where's Sokka?" Katara was confused and overjoyed at the same time. Her friends had returned to her, but where was her brother. Aang's head hung and Ava placed her hand on the young girl's shoulder.

"We don't know", Ava quietly admitted.

The sun began to set once more. Ava was standing on the porch again waiting for Aang as he in turn waited at the gate, to speak with the spirit yet again. Katara waited with Momo in the town hall with the other villagers. Aang had given up on the spirit showing when he turned to walk away. The building he was walking next to, suddenly collapsed as the creature again appeared. It ignored his pleads yet again as it made its way to the porch. Ava stood her ground with Katara quickly joining her side.

"You better get out of here, little mermaid", the Chalice warned.

"No, you and Aang shouldn't have to face this alone. We are friends and friends don't leave each other to fend for their own battles, especially when they are up against something stronger than them", she hissed back at the older girl, earning a respected smile.

Aang quickly maneuvered between the creature and the girls, placing his hand on the creature's forehead as he moved to protect them. Suddenly there was a glimpse of a bear behind the creature's façade. Aang quickly realized it was the spirit of the forest that had come to claim vengeance on the nearby village for its home's destruction. Aang patiently explained that the forest would grow back and quietly handed the spirit an acorn. The spirit then turned around and walked out of the village into a giant bamboo bush that appeared at the entry gate. Sokka and the other three abductees walked out from the growth, dazed and confused. Katara ran towards her brother and hugged him as Aang and Ava walked up to the siblings hand in hand.

"Aang, can I speak with you in private for a moment?" Ava asked quietly.

"Sure", the young boy smiled as they began to walk away.

Once they were out of sight, Ava embraced Aang fiercely and kissed him more passionately than she had in the past few days. When they breathlessly parted, Aang questioned her motives.

"I know you felt me despairing before I meditated and found out you were in the spirit world…", Ava admitted.

"You thought I had left again…didn't you?" Aang sighed as he embraced her again, "I wouldn't leave you that easily.."

"I know, but I want to say I am sorry for beginning to think you wouldn't return to me..", the Chalice had to hold back the tears she had saved since he disappeared over twenty four hours previously.

"Don't apologize, I shouldn't have made you worry", he smiled as he lifted her chin, pulling her face towards his, "I cannot be that easily separated from you."

"But you can…you were in a glacier for a while…I was lost without you", Ava wiped away tears that were streaming down her face at the idea that both her boys were returned safely.

"I know it upset you immensely and I shall forever atone for that sin. I should have been there with you through everything, but I wasn't. Make the best you can of a situation. You are my future wife, even though in my eyes you are my wife already…" he was interrupted by her long, hard kiss.

"What was that for?" he laughed.

"To remind you, how important you are to me…love", she cupped his cheeks.

"You're my very soul…", he began.

"And you are MINE", she smiled as her hands roamed over her.

When they walked back over to the siblings, he revealed what he and Ava had seen at the temple in the Fire Nation. It was going to be hard, but they knew they could get it done. Ava was not looking forward to going to the Fire Nation, but they had to know what the vision of the comet meant.

After stocking up on money and supplies that the village offered them much to Katara's discontent for the way her brother approached them about the exchange, they began to walk towards the edge of the village.

"When we were in our trances we were taken to a crescent-shaped island to a temple that housed the statues of our former lives. There we are supposed to learn something, but we have to take our physical bodies there before the Solstice", Aang explained looking to Ava who shook her head in agreement, letting him know she was thinking the same thing.

"But the Solstice is tomorrow", Katara looked to one and then the other before she saw the expression that Ava had on her face, meaning there was more than just the time dead line.

"There's another problem…the island is in Fire Nation territory", Ava stated the last part very fast hoping the two water tribe siblings would not hear her. She was disappointed by the looks they exchanged with each other and then towards her and her Avatar.

"You said you wouldn't abandon your friends", the Chalice stated matter-of-factly towards the younger girl.

"We won't. We're with you until the end of this", Sokka grabbed his sister's hand and they both nodded. They had made up their minds when they went to save Aang the first time that they would not abandon him and help him on his quest to restore peace to the world by defeating Ozai.


	10. Avatar Roku Part 1

**Return to Me**

**Avatar Roku**

Aang was trying to convince Appa to go ahead and leave without the others. He was not going to risk the lives of his new found friends or his Ava. The sky bison was not budging no matter what Aang said or did. He was beginning to get frustrated when a familiar voice startled him.

"Trying to leave me again, are you?" Ava's voice was cold. He could tell she was displeased with his decision, but he just couldn't….

"Ava, you have to understand…", he started but was quickly pushed to the ground and on his back before he could complete his sentence.

"You really think that I would be okay with you leaving me behind? Not knowing where you went to…You are truly willing to put me through that again?", she sounded hurt.

"I would never want to hurt you in that way EVER again. I just don't want to lose you…it was hard to think that I was going to live on in a world where I would be separated from you again….", the young boy hung his head as she allowed him to set up. He was pleased when she lifted his chin and looked him directly in the eye.

"I already told you once before that I was willing to follow you until the ends of the Earth…", she smiled, "And I plan on keeping that promise, even at the cost of my happiness and possibly my life."

"Don't say things like that…I don't want to think about that possibility", Aang whispered as he silently gave into his soul mate. They began to try and pull Appa in the direction of where they needed to go when Sokka's stern clearing of his throat caught their attention. They sheepishly smiled at each other as they rounded the bison to face off against the water tribe boy and his sibling.

"And just where do the two of you love birds think you're going?" he huffed with his hands on his hips. Ava couldn't help but laugh and was shortly followed in by Katara and Aang.

"Truly, Sokka? You really think that you can tell your elders what to do?" she teased.

Sokka blushed as he remembered that Aang and Ava were both over a hundred years old and he was more or less as infant compared to them or Ava at least. Aang still acted like a child. It was then the group jumped and huddled together as all four were startled by the village headman telling them that if they were to make it to the island that Aang had spoken of, they would need to leave immediately because it was a long ride. They said their very short goodbyes and continued on their way.

The ride was terribly boring to say the least until Aang had convinced Ava to tell her adventure stories about her campaigns against the Fire Nation. He quickly regretted it as he noticed that behind her smile as she tried to make the stories listener-friendly she had to have experienced some horrible events. Her eyes were no longer bright and carefree from what he remembered long ago. She had grown up but was trapped in a teenager's body. Most people wouldn't complain but she was forced to continue on as others around her aged and died. It wasn't fair. He tried to change the subject but Sokka kept on and finally got her to admit that she had been held captive by the royal family of the Fire Nation for about three years until one of their own helped her escape.

"You were their prisoner?" Sokka was shocked.

"Yes, I was for a time. A few years, but during that time they had actually come to trust me. I had mixed feelings about it at first. The Fire Lord was only a prince then and his wife was very caring. I couldn't believe that she was a part of that crazed family. She was sweet. Her son, he was amazingly gentle. His demeanor reminded me of someone from long ago…I want to say he reminded me a bit of Roku. Her daughter on the other hand….", Ava shivered at the thought of the strange girl's cold eyes, "She was evil incarnate I swear. Everyone was afraid of her except the Fire Lord at the time and Ozai."

"How could a little girl be evil incarnate?" Katara was genuinely curious.

"She was sadistic. She loved torturing the animals they were stupid enough to keep giving her and her elder brother especially. She would do things to set him off and she took pride in upstaging him in front of Ozai. Azula would get a natural high off of hurting others, but it was divine pleasure torturing Zuko…" Ava paused when she noticed the others tense.

"You're joking right?" Aang tried to reason. How could someone like Zuko have been a gentle anything…

"I have heard of how he has become. I honestly cannot blame him after what Ozai did to him. Have you three not heard the story?" the girl seemed surprised by their reaction.

"Have you not heard our stories about how he has tried to kill us and capture Aang more than once?" Sokka shot back. He was done talking about this.

"As far as I can tell from his attempts he did not have any intentions of killing you. Aang is all he wants. He was banished from the Fire Nation by his father to search for the Avatar. Everyone thought it was just busy work to keep him away, but seeing that you have returned has given him false hope. Ozai has no intentions of taking his son back, that I can assure you. I am still certain that he killed his father after making him name him as the Fire Lord. The old man who travels with Zuko, his name is Iroh. He is the eldest and the true Fire Lord heir, but he was skipped over when he failed to capture Bei Sing Se. Ozai waltzed in and took over…their father was found dead in his room not too long after he had changed his decree that Ozai be named Fire Lord instead of Iroh. I am not wholly convinced by their diagnosis of natural causes", the Chalice scoffed.

"What do you mean you don't think he has any intentions of killing us?" Sokka was back in the conversation. Her statement made him curious.

"I trained Zuko myself in hand to hand, non-bending combat", Ava quietly stated, "I know his attitude and I have bared witness to his rage, but it is nothing compared to Azula."

"To be honest I am not entirely interested in how to read the guy…all I know is he is bad news", the water tribe boy growled.

"I cannot say that I am wholly disappointed that you don't want to hear what little wisdom I have on the matter…but it would be wise for you to heed what I say to you", Ava glared daggers in Sokka's direction, "That boy has suffered greatly by the hands of the man who was supposed to protect him, you have no idea what he has gone through."

"He has no idea what his nation has put US through", Katara seethed as she began to stand up for her brother.

"I had anger towards ALL fire benders at one point too, until I realized that not all of them truly support what Ozai is doing. His son being one of them, even though he has not admitted it yet, he knows that the way the world works now, is not how it was supposed to be. If anyone should be bitter towards that wretched pyro-maniac race, it should be Aang and I. They EXTERMINATED our people. We are all that is left of the Air Nomads", Ava snatched her staff up from her side and took off to fly for a bit. She needed to after that discussion.

"Hey wait a minute! Where are you going? We need you!" Sokka called out to her retreating form. He and his sister had dumbfounded looks on their faces as they looked to the Avatar for some kind of answer.

"She'll be back. She won't go far. I think she needs to sort some stuff out by herself right now", Aang sadly stated as he returned to his post on Appa's head to guide the bison.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Katara quietly asked as she walked up behind him.

"I'm not going to pretend to know how she feels. I wasn't with her in the Fire Nation and perhaps she would not have even been there if I had done what I was supposed to do to begin with. I was basically asleep in that ice for a hundred years. She lived each day with no explanation as to my disappearance and grieved over the loss of our people", he admitted, "When she is ready to talk to me, she will, that's how we have always done it."

"Alright…", Katara patted her friend on the shoulder and went to chew out her brother.

Sokka was furious. He was angry that he had brought up the whole situation, but he was also angry because Ava just left instead of explaining herself.

"You're a genius you know that?" Katara growled as she smacked him upside the head. Her anger did not dissipate even at the glaring look he gave her as he rubbed the injured area on his cranium.

"Look I had no idea and I thought she could give us some insight on how fight the Fire Nation… How was I supposed to know she developed a crush on that freak Zuko", he began pouting as he crossed his arms and turned away from her.

"You really are thick-headed aren't you?" his sister continued, "She didn't develop a crush, Zuko was like family to her."

"Yeah well how do you think that goes with her lover boy over there?" Sokka sneered.

"He seems pretty upset about it but at the same time she would have not have brought it up if you hadn't pressed her for it!" Katara reasoned, "Look just no more Fire Nation stories, okay?"

"Fine", he huffed, "But I don't see why you think I should apologize to her!"

"I didn't say you had to apologize to her. Is that a guilty conscious, Sokka?" his sister hinted.

"Quit playing mind games with me, Katara. I'm really not in the mood. I feel bad enough about it as it is. I never meant to cause Ava pain", he finally relented.

* * *

><p>Ava was allowing her mind to clear and putting it on auto pilot as she made a special trip to the Spirit world. She needed guidance from the Chalice before her. Unfortunately it was not the former Chalice she ran into first.<p>

"Koh, you startled me", she said void of any emotion.

"My dear Chalice, do you really think I want to steal your face? I am your protector, what good am I if I kill the charge that I am sworn to guard?" the man's handsome face laughed.

"I'm sorry it has been so long since I visited", Ava smiled and hugged her guardian, never being bothered by the fact that he was a murderous giant centipede with the ability to steal another living being's face as soon as they showed emotion. He squeezed her firmly with his body as he encircled her to him.

"I have missed you my Chalice", the face smiled.

"I wish you would use your true face with me, Koh. I would never betray your secrets, not even to my Avatar", she smiled again as she pulled away.

"Not intentionally anyway", he changed his face again to that of a mask, "What ails you my lady?"

"Zuko is after Aang. I love Aang, but I love Zuko as well. He's the closest thing I have to a son… you know that…", she began to cry.

"You were caught in this once before you know…when your Avatar Kuruk came after me, shortly after I killed his beloved Ummi, when your heart was broken and you passed back into our realm. He wanted me dead and you being you, well…let's say that he was unsuccessful", the face changed again to one that could show laughter.

"Please, Koh. What should I do? I try not to recall that life…", Ava stated sadly.

"You stood up to him, told him that it was not truly right to beget death with death and that the Spirits were few and far between and to kill one another would throw everything into chaos. Which is still quite true… perhaps your beloved godson still has use in this world yet? One that even your Avatar now must respect."

"I cannot be at odds with him…"Ava stated, "The world was chaos the last time we were at odds with each other."

"Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, due to the fact that I loved seeing it and having you depend solely on me, there was madness in our realm which spilled over into the humans' world…not that I truly care for the humans", Koh stated.

"You always have the 'nicest' things to say…", Ava laughed at her guardian.

"Go back now my Chalice. I sense your Avatar misses you terribly", Koh scoffed as he gave her one final squeeze before sending her back to her body.

* * *

><p>Aang was beginning to get nervous. He knew that they were getting closer to the island and he needed her help getting in to Roku. It was then he sensed her easing presence, assuring him that she was on her way back to him. He sat back against the saddle, sighing. This was becoming complicated and fast. He didn't know that she had a personal relationship with Zuko, but then again it would never had happened if he had assumed his duties properly before.<p>

Ava quietly soared up beside Aang with her flyer and settled next to him. Not a word was spoken between the two for a few moments until she leaned against him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about my relationship to Zuko", she whispered.

"You would have never had to have one if I had done right by the world and by you…." He whispered back pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head as he tucked her under his arm, "I promise I will never leave you to deal with everything alone again."

"Ava, can I talk to you for a minute, please?" Sokka shyly asked.

"Alright…", she moved to the saddle to sit next to his sister, who seemed to be encouraging him to talk….

"I'm sorry for bringing up your captivity in the Fire Nation and I am especially sorry for the way I spoke about Zuko…", he mumbled.

"I accept your apology for having me tell you some things that I had not even had a chance to tell Aang yet…", she huffed, "As far as Zuko is concerned I know you are not truly sorry, but…that will be a work in progress…"

"It will take me AND my sister a little bit to get past what the Fire Nation did to us and our tribe….", he stood his ground, secretly earning the respect of both females sitting in front of him, "But hey it's like you said….a work in progress."

They shook hands with a weary smile gracing both of their features and agreed to put it behind them until after they completed their current mission. It seemed that it would be smooth sailing…well almost…Sokka and Katara noticed that Zuko's ship was close behind them on the sea…somehow.

"Did you tell your little Fire Nation boyfriend where we were going?" the Water tribe boy shouted, wincing as his little sister's hand graced the back of his head once more.

"Do you think she would really put Aang in danger like that?" Katara growled. She smiled only half a second at the Chalice's approval. "Fireball!"

"I'm on it!" Aang shouted back with a determined look on his face. Ava knew she had to help her Avatar and began to use air bending to change the cloud covering so that hopefully the small Fire Navy ship would not be able to target them so easily. It was working well until the smell of the "Hot Stinker" hit her nostrils. She was a little distracted by the smell and then Aang's announcement of something "bigger" did not help.

"A blockade?" Sokka's mind began to race. He looked to the disoriented Chalice and his little sister who seemed she was going to puke her guts out from the smell of the fire ball that Zuko sent at them.

Ava couldn't help but worry for her godson as she realized that him traveling through Fire Nation waters would warrant his arrest. She knew Iroh would not allow him to do such, but the ship was not wavering it's steadfast pursuit of her group. She looked to the blockade and could only imagine what self-righteous general was guarding the aquatic territory. Only one came to mind…her mind was distracted by her group's sudden decision to run the blockade. All she heard was her Avatar's familiar "Yip, yip."

"Aang! More fireballs!" Ava screamed as she ducked her head and proceeded to pull the water tribe siblings down with her as her Avatar used every decisive move he had with Appa to prevent their injuries. It unfortunately could not prevent the bison's and the others tried desperately to put the fire out on Appa's side as they pulled higher into cloud coverage. The fireballs did not stop and soon Sokka was flying mid-air out of Appa's saddle with Ava not far behind him on her staff. Aang felt the panic in his soul mate's emotions and turned the bison almost immediately after realizing the loss of one of their companions. Ava steadied him as she dropped him into his sister's embrace on Apppa's saddle and landed herself as they made way directly for the blockade. She took hold of the reins as her Avatar did an amazing move and blew through the fireball that was aimed directly at them. She looked directly into General Zhao's eyes and looked back as she saw her godson, Zuko stare in an almost dumbfounded look back at her. She held her Avatar close as he flew back into her as they continued on.

"You enjoy these sick games of me almost losing you don't you?" Ava whispered in his ear as she held him close.

"I will do whatever it takes to protect you", Aang sighed as he leaned back into her embrace.

"Let's not do anything that risqué again? Are we agreed on that?" Ava looked back to her Avatar after looking behind them to see that Zuko's ship was allowed to pass. 'Zhao has something in mind', she thought to herself as she looked at Aang once more.

"Agreed…but seriously, love, you need to tell your godson to lay off a little", he weakly smiled as they made their way to the island they had both seen in their vision.


	11. Avatar Roku Part 2

**Return to Me**

**Avatar Roku Part 2**

"So Zuko looked really surprised to see you, like he was seeing a…ghost", Sokka broke the silence and did a spooky voice when he said the word "ghost".

"Perhaps that's because his uncle told him that I had perished. That entire family thinks I'm dead. He was on the outs with Ozai for the whole Bai Sing Se thing so we faked my death", she stated matter-of-factly.

"But you said that you were 'released'. You said that Iroh let you go..", Katara was confused.

"Iroh did let me go, but in return we faked my death for him to get back in good graces with his brother", Ava explained.

"But if Ozai wanted you dead, why did he keep you alive for so long?" Aang questioned.

"He wasn't the one who kept me alive, it was his father. When the former Fire Lord passed, Ozai had every intention of ending my life, thinking it would be the very end of the Chalice since the Avatar had not resurfaced.

"How did you fake your death?" Sokka interrupted.

"I disappeared while Iroh presented Ozai with a pile of ash and witnesses stating they had seen me killed. They of course were promoted to higher positions in the army for their discretion by Iroh", Ava smiled at the recollection. It was almost too easy how things fell into place perfectly for her to leave.

The group was relieved when they finally landed on the island. Appa most of all as he rolled over on his back in exhaustion allowing the girls to rub his belly for his efforts.

"You must be tired", Katara said in a baby voice.

"No, actually I am refreshed and ready to fight some fire benders", Sokka finished his stretches with a smile.

"I don't think you're sister was talking to you", Ava commented as she walked away from Appa.

"I wasn't talking to her, I was talking to Momo", Sokka mumbled.

"As if a flying lemur can speak…", Katara continued to harass her brother alongside the elder female.

"Come on guys, lay off Sokka for a while", Aang smiled as he patted his friend on the back.

"Yeah, sticks and stones!" Sokka growled as he stuck out his tongue.

The temple seemed abandoned as they quietly made their way up to it. Ava had to sit down as a vision crossed her mind.

* * *

><p><em>Yuki stood beside the head Fire Sage as he announced the commencement of the golden statues in the temple in honor of the late Avatar Roku and the current Chalice Yuki. The word "late" hit a sour note with the Chalice. She knew that her Avatar had been murdered by their best friend, Sozin, and it was more annoying to try and keep her demeanor as said fiend was there as well.<em>

"_Yuki, I am sorry for the loss of Roku", he bowed his head in honor._

"_I am sure you are", Yuki mumbled and proceeded to walk away with Sozin right on her heels._

"_Have I done something to upset you?" he innocently asked._

"_Had you forgotten we were connected? Had you forgotten he shared with me all of his emotions in his final moments? Betrayal by one whom he considered his brother", she scoffed as she continued to walk away._

"_You cannot prove anything, Yuki", Sozin smiled in satisfaction for he was well aware that they were still connected._

"_It does not matter what you think, Sozin, because you are still guilty in my eyes. I will always know what you did and therefore you are a murderer and will not truly have gotten away with it. Your punishment awaits you in the Spirit World, my dear friend."_

"_If that is what you think", Sozin began to walk away, "Sages!"_

_Yuki was attacked from all sides by the very Sages that had sworn to follow her and protect her. She had not thought that Sozin's corruption could go this far. She began to fight them off with all that was left of her energy when one of the Sages created a diversion that allowed her to escape. A few days later she disappeared to the South Pole and it was there that she passed on to join her Avatar._

* * *

><p>Ava woke up to a very concerned group of people around her. Upon looking at her surroundings she realized that she was being held by Aang with Sokka and Katara on either side of him.<p>

"You sat down and then you passed out!" Katara grabbed her friend's hand.

"More like your eyes started glowing and you fell into a trance..", Sokka corrected.

"Are you okay?" Aang had felt the panic in her and then finally peace…like death. Needless to say it scared him.

"I'm fine. I just had a flashback is all. Sozin attacked me while I was here, after a dedication to those golden statues of us that we saw. There were Fire Sages and they may still be around, they are the caretakers of the temple", Ava warned.

"Sozin? The Fire Lord during Roku's time?" Aang wanted to make sure they were speaking about the same person.

"Yeah apparently Sozin and Roku were very close at one point. We all were", she lowered her head.

"Can you manage?" the Avatar hinted anxiously.

"Yes, we need to find out what the vision meant that Roku sent us", the Chalice stood up with the help of the Water Tribe siblings.

Silently they walked into the temple with Momo in tow. Sokka said he thought he had heard something and they all turned around to see five men blocking the entrance.

"They're Fire Sages!" Ava shouted as she pointed at them.

"I'm the Avatar…", Aang began but was interrupted by the ring leader who stated that they already knew that and proceeded to shoot fire bursts at him.

"Run…I'll hold them off!" He commanded of his friends. He made sure they were out of harm's way before he used his airbending to knock the Sages onto their stomaches.

He ran to catch up with them and cut them off. He told them to follow him and was not surprised to hear one of them ask if he knew where they were going. He was honest when he answered "No". He turned the corner and began to run down another hallway but turned around and warned the others to follow him back the other way when a Fire Sage appeared. He asked that they stop and Ava did.

"What are you doing?" Sokka stopped as well and tried to pull on her arm to get her running again but she wouldn't budge. He kept pulling on her arm until finally he slumped to the ground in exhaustion. She was not big but she was hard to move. He was trying to figure out how that was even logical when he noticed she was staring at the Fire Sage.

"You mean us no harm?" she demanded.

"No, my lady!" the Fire Sage bowed.

"You are a descendant of the Fire Sage who saved the Chalice Yuki long ago, aren't you?" Ava walked up and placed her hand on his shoulder, signaling he was allowed to stand up.

"Yes, but how did you?..." he realized the answer by the look on her face, "He was always her favorite of the five."

"I know", she smiled.

"Could you please explain what's going on here?" Aang demanded. He was upset that there was some unspoken connection between this Sage and HIS Ava.

"He means us no harm. He will help us get to where we need to go", Ava hinted to the Sage who shook his head in agreeance as he pressed somewhere on the wall beside them and opened up a chamber.

"How could I have forgotten about these? I told Roku it was a ridiculous idea, but he was right, as usual…", Ava grumbled and then blushed when she realized a little "Yuki" had come out and the others were staring at her like she was crazy.

"Does she come out often?" the Sage inquired to comfort his Chalice from the looks she was receiving including from her Avatar.

"No, but she seems to like to pop out a lot lately", Ava sighed.

"If this is the Avatar's temple, why are the Sages attacking us?" Aang interrupted. He wanted to know why a group of men sworn to aid and protect him were turning against him.

"Many things have changed, Avatar. The Sages used to be loyal only to the Avatar and the Chalice. When Roku died they were forced to attack the Chalice, but helped her get away while not letting Fire Lord Sozin realize that they simply wanted her safe. They knew if she left the Fire Nation, Sozin would not try anything. He was too busy with his plans of expanding the Fire Nation. They waited for the Avatar and the Chalice", the Fire Sage explained.

"They were waiting for me?" Aang sadly realized how much his presence was truly needed. He glared at Sokka's remark about being a hundred years late, but couldn't help but smile when Ava's hand on the back of the kid's head rang through the caverns.

"When the Avatar did not return they lost hope. They were forced to serve Sozin. A few years ago, the Chalice returned to us and hope began to rise anew, but then she was killed by the Fire Lord's brother after he caught her trying to escape", he quirked an eyebrow at Ava.

"I had to get away to figure out what was going on. Why I was left behind and Aang had disappeared. I am sorry if I gave you any false hope of freeing the Sages", Ava commented.

"No, my lady. I am the only Fire Sage loyal to you and your Avatar now", he lowered his head.

"Thank you, for helping us", Aang put his hand on the Fire Sage's arm, reassuring him that his efforts were very much welcomed.

They began going up a very long flight of stairs, listening to the Sage instruct them on what to do once they were inside the sanctuary. They had to wait for the light to hit the statues of the Avatar and the Chalice, but when they reached the door it was closed. The Fire Sage told them that only a fully "realized" Avatar would be able to open the door by himself or he and the other Sages would have to do it together.

"Five simultaneous fire blasts, huh?" Sokka began to think, "I think I could help you out."

Ava looked wearily at the Water Tribe girl who simply shrugged her shoulders indicating she had no clue what her brother was up to. He began to explain his plan as he finished up his homemade bombs. Katara commended him on his efforts as well as Ava.

"Now as soon as the explosions happen you better hurry in, because the others would have heard it", the Fire Sage explained as he lit the oil soaked fuses. They watched as the explosions occurred and Aang ran to the door first with Ava hot on his tail, but the doors were still locked.

"Sokka I thought you said this was going to work?" Ava shouted. She did not handle failure very well in situations like this.

"I told you I THOUGHT I could help, not that it WOULD work", he growled. They began to face off when Katara had an idea in her head. She finally let it be known after Ava had to calm Aang down from a myriad of airbending attacks that he tried to use to get the door to open.

"Sokka's plan didn't work…", she stated out loud.

"Thank you, Ms. Obvious!" Ava growled and began to make her way to the little mermaid when she was pinned down by Aang.

"Get off of me!" she shouted.

"Let her finish what she was saying before you go crazy on her!" He demanded looking down into her eyes. His lips were a breath away from hers.

"You are not going to use your sexual appeal to get me to not pummel the little mermaid!" she tried to wiggle out from underneath him but his Avatar dominance kicked in. His eyes began to glow and he had a scowl on his face.

"My Chalice I order you to stop!" His voice was that of many.

Her eyes began to glow as well as she tried to put up a fight, "You cannot control me!"

"I am not trying to control you", his eyes quite glowing and he quickly returned back to the young airbender. He seemed hurt by her statement.

"Then why did you go Avatar on my ass?" Ava tried to calm down as well.

"Because your Chalice spirit seems to listen better to my Avatar spirit rather than Ava listening to Aang…", he admitted as he let her up.

"Finish what you were saying, Katara", Ava looked to the young Water Tribe girl who then finished her plan that the other Sages would think their attempt worked, open the door, and then Bob's your uncle, Aang and Ava could get in then. It was more risqué than Aang's blatant run of the blockade earlier, but it was worth a shot.

* * *

><p>"Come quickly!" the Fire Sage shouted for the others to meet him, "Look, the Avatar has entered the sanctuary!"<p>

"How did he get in?" the older Sage questioned.

"I don't know, but look at the scorch marks and look down there!" the Fire Sage pointed to the shadow pacing back and forth underneath the door.

"Quickly we must open the doors and stop him before he makes contact with Avatar Roku!" the elder Sage commanded and the others followed his lead. Soon the doors were open to reveal a very confused looking lemur. The Sage stated that the Avatar must have crawled through the pipes and that they had been tricked. Momo then assaulted his face as Katara and Sokka attacked the other two Sages closest to them. The Fire Sage who had helped them grabbed the other Sage next to him and Momo continued his assault on the eldest Sage.

"Now, Aang!" the Sage shouted to the Avatar.

Ava was already in the Sanctuary when she turned around to realize her Avatar was not right behind her. She walked back out of the sanctuary and shouted for the little airbender but what came from behind the statue was not what she was expecting.

"The Avatar is coming with me", Zuko stated matter-of-factly, but quickly froze as he saw that face again.

"Zuko?" Ava questioned in disbelief. She didn't think he would know where to find them, but then again she did train him in tracking.

"Auntie?" He kept a firm grip on Aang's arms as he began to walk towards her.

"Auntie? Really?" Sokka commented and quickly regretted his mocking decision as he was smacked in the head by his sister.

"What are you doing?" Ava continued to walk towards her godson, looking for any signs of distress that may make him do something stupid.

"Close the doors quickly", he commanded of the other Sages who had overpowered their attackers and were quickly restraining them to the columns with chains.

"Zuko, answer me!" She demanded.

"Why Auntie? Uncle said you had died, that he had to do it to protect our family", Zuko shook his head, "Father said that there were others who witnessed it."

"You should know by now how Iroh is. He's very gifted when it comes to discretion and deception. You must understand that I could not stay there", she continued her approach.

"Why didn't Uncle tell me you were alive?" he demanded, "Why didn't you try to contact me?"

"How could I when I was supposed to be dead? How could he betray my request to keep you safe by relaying nothing of our plan to you?" She tried to reason.

"It doesn't matter anymore. I am going to take your precious Avatar to my father and restore my honor", he seemed to be trying to convince himself more than his godmother.

"Do you really think that will make Ozai love you?", Ava couldn't help but chuckle at the thought, "He knows no love and neither does your sister, why else do you think they adore each other?"

"You don't know my father!" Zuko hissed, "What do you know of love and adoration? I loved and adored you but it didn't keep you with me did it?"

"Wow!" Sokka commented, "This is getting weirder and weirder!"

Just then Aang head butted Zuko and grabbed Ava's hand pulling her in the direction of the Sanctuary. He picked her up bridal style and jumped into the doors as they were closing. A light shone, blinding both teenagers as the doors sealed to prevent others from interfering in the affairs of them and their former lives.

"The light is hitting the statue, so why is Roku not talking?" Aang looked to his soul mate waiting for her answer. She simply shrugged as she approached Yuki's statue.

"We don't know what we're doing. All I know is airbending! Help us Roku!" Aang begged the statue before him. It was then the eyes began to light up and mist began to encircle them. When the mist cleared there was an elderly couple standing in front of them with their arms linked to one another.

"It's about time you two, we were beginning to wonder what was taking you both so long", the woman chuckled. She had olive-toned skin with long white hair that was braided to the right side of her head. On her other hand her fan hung from her wrist. She was dressed in robes with red and black colors. Her head was adorned with a tiara that was for court members from long ago.

"I have something very important to tell you, Aang", Avatar Roku interrupted, "That is why when you went into the Spirit World I sent my dragon to find you."

"This has something to do with the vision you gave us?" Ava looked to the former Chalice.

"Over a hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used a comet to deal a deadly strike against the other nations. He used it to exterminate your Air Nomads", Yuki bowed her head.

"What does that have to do with the war now?" Aang was almost afraid to ask.

"Fire Lord Ozai plans on using the comet again to finish the war for good. It is due to come at the end of this Summer. If the world is to survive you must defeat him before Sozin's comet comes", Roku explained.

"Aang hasn't even begun learning water, earth, or fire yet. Those elements take years of disciplined training…So you're saying…" Ava was surprised that the former Avatar thought the current one could pull it off.

"Yes, Aang, you must learn the other elements before the Summer's end", Yuki announced.

"What if I can't do it? What if I fail?" Aang began to panic.

"We know you can do it, because you have done it many times before", Roku and his Chalice Yuki stated in unison. Aang and Ava smiled as they held each other's hands.

"You must stay strong in one another, anything is possible with the two of you as one", Yuki smiled as her eyes began to glow, causing Ava's to follow suit.

"How do we reach you if we cannot come back to the temple? What if we have questions?" Aang knew the Solstice was ending.

"We are a part of each of you. When you need us, you will find a way to talk with us. Now there is great danger awaiting you here in our temple. We can help the two of you face the threat. But only if you two are ready…", Roku patiently answered.

"We are ready", the Avatar and Chalice announced with their eyes glowing.

The door began to open and General Zhao was there with his men, ready to try and subdue the Avatar. They were not expecting to see another set of glowing eyes beside the Avatar's.

"Aang! Ava! No!", Katara and her brother were trying desperately to get loose from the chains to help their friends.

"FIRE!" General Zhao shouted after only a moment's hesitation as he recognized the Chalice beside Aang.

They were in shock as they saw Avatar Roku and Chalice Yuki in place of the young boy and girl who had stood before them moments before. They used the fire blasts that had been hurled at them to fire back at the soldiers, rendering them disoriented. It melted the chains around the Fire Sage, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko. Roku and Yuki had decided to destroy the temple since its existence was not meeting the needs of the Avatar. Molten lava began pouring up from the caverns the little group had just visited moments before. Once the soldiers and the other Sages ran away, Roku and Yuki relinquished their hosts back to their friends. Sokka caught Ava and Katara caught Aang. Both were completely exhausted from their former selves using bending they were not used to.

"We have to get out of here!" Sokka began to panic. He and his sister were running around trying to find a way out as the Avatar and his Chalice were trying their best to recuperate as fast as they could. The tower of the temple was slowly sliding down the side of the hill headed towards the ocean, but at the rate it was falling it would be covered in the lava before it reached the ocean. It was then that Momo and Appa showed up to load everyone up and take off.

"Let's get out of the Fire Nation as fast as we can, boy!" Aang patted Appa on the head as they flew off. He pulled his Chalice closer to him as he noticed her look back at Zuko's ship.

"He was angry with me, I don't blame him but….it still hurt, you know?" Her teary eyes looked into his.

"Give him time to realize what just happened. I mean his godmother he was told was killed by his Uncle is still alive….that would be a lot to take in…I mean look at us. We were separated for over one hundred years and we're still finding out stuff about each other. Well more so me finding out what you had to endure while I was frozen", He kissed her head, "Now what are we going to do about me having to learn everything in three months?"

In that instance Ava felt terrible. She did not even think about how the news that he had to master stuff that normally took years in months would affect him. She grabbed his face and put her forehead against his. "Remember what Roku said, you can do this, because you have done it many times before", she smiled as she began to kiss his lips. She wanted him to feel the warmth and comfort that he had offered her whenever she was upset. He melted right into her and allowed her to let him lay on her lap. Sokka and Katara walked over and sat by their two friends.

"Ava, Aang…we want you to know that we are here for you guys and we will help you defeat the Fire Lord", Sokka put his hands on both of their shoulders. Katara put her hands on both of their hands. "Definitely."

"This is going to get worse before it gets better, you do realize that, right?" Ava looked to her companions, "With Zhao and Zuko it seems that there might be bloodshed….even death. They are both desperate and desperation causes men to do unthinkable things."

"We understand, Ava. We have not witnessed everything that you have, but our mother's murder was enough for me to know what the Fire Nation is capable of", Katara assured her.

"No one said that being friends with the Avatar and the Chalice was going to be easy, all the stories that we have heard over the years, growing up from our Gran Gran seems not so farfetched now", Sokka laughed to ease the tension.

"We will have to have each other's' backs. Nothing can separate us, not even each other", Aang commented.

"One for all and all for one", Ava put her hand out, "I read it somewhere."

"Catchy", Sokka agreed as he put his hand in followed instantaneously by his sister. They all looked at Aang, who was staring at Ava.

"I'm still not sure if I can do this…putting this much stress into it…I'll surely lose you", he bowed his head.

"I already promised to follow you to the ends of the Earth and love you until the end of existence. I think I can handle you defeating a Fire Lord", Ava smiled as she grabbed his hand with her free one and put it in.

"To the North Pole", they all said in unison.


	12. We Began Beneath the Stars

**Return to Me**

**Under the Stars is Where We Began….**

The group had hunkered down for the night in the forest outside of Earth Kingdom territory. Appa curled up in the clearing with Momo resting atop his head. Katara and Sokka placed their sleeping bags so that they were not far from the fire that was beginning to die out, but close enough to feel the warmth emanating off of the glowing embers. Everyone was trying not to worry about the information they had learned about a couple days before. They especially tried not to bring it up in front of Aang, who of course, was the most worried of the group. Ava noticed that he had not been sleeping and knew he would need his strength for anything thrown their way. She knew that this was a moment she had been groomed for: comforting the Avatar with her Chalice Spirit. She waited until the others were fast asleep before she decided to ease her soul mate's worries.

"Aang?" she called softly to him as she grabbed both of their flying staffs. She smiled as he slowly made his way to her, a grin starting to spread.

"A late night flight?" he whispered.

"Yes, just like when we lived at the Temple. You know Gyatso knew we were sneaking out but he never said anything…" she quietly laughed as she laid down her staff. She cupped her Avatar's face and drew it close to hers. "The stars are where we began…"

"The Heavens being our second home and all…", Aang closed his eyes and smiled at the light kisses she placed all over his face.

"To the sky", they whispered in unison and took off to another clearing where they would be able to whoosh into the sky without disturbing their friends.

It was a dance as old as the memories shared between them. In every lifetime when they were airbenders they would do this during the night with the brightest stars. They felt more home and free amongst the jewels in the sky and deemed it their "return" to the Heavens, a place where all the Spirits yearned to return to one day. Circling in a "death dance" like hawks, they allowed themselves to experience the joy of being reunited, the pain of losing their nation, and the worries of what was to come. After a few hours of twirling in the night sky, they landed in the clearing breathless. It had been a long time since they were able to do this and Ava realized how much she truly missed it.

"I needed that", Aang sighed as he wrapped his arm around his Chalice while she cuddled up underneath it. He leaned over and rested his lips on her forehead, swearing they would never part from her glistening skin….well at least for the night.

"I know that you are worried about what is going to happen. I know that everything we learned from Roku and Yuki was A LOT to take in…", she broke the silence, "But you are not alone."

"I know that", Aang chuckled. "I have my hundred fourteen year old wife and two Water Tribe siblings that barely get along….my chances are good."

"Aang, I am being serious", Ava groaned as she began to pull away.

"I need you by my side. I need all my strength gathered to me and with you being my other half…", the Avatar stated, "I need YOU the most."

"I already told you that I would be here. I'm not going anywhere! I went too long without knowing whether you were alive or dead…I keep thinking I am going to close my eyes and wake up…that this was all a dream", her eyes began to water. Even in the night he could see them welling up.

He grabbed her face and began to kiss her. He wanted her to know that he was real. He NEEDED her to know that he was real. There were no dreams, because if it was then he would surely die to awake from this…bliss. Their searing kiss sent electricity down their spines…it was ALWAYS so. Ava stopped when she sensed her soul mate's hesitation.

"What? What is it?" she huffed as she pulled away. He whimpered at the sudden loss of warmth engulfing him.

"We said that there would be a moment like this between us…where I wanted nothing but…well…you know…", he blushed at the thought of the birds and the bees explanation that his mentor gave him.

* * *

><p>"<em>Gyatso, what is sex?" the little monk couldn't help but giggle when his mentor dropped the scrolls that were in his hand and stared back at his pupil in pure horror.<em>

"_Why do you need to know about that, Aang?" Gyatso questioned. This was truly a bizarre subject for a twelve year old…but the arrival of the Chalice might have brought up some compromising feelings…._

"_Well some of the older kids were talking about it….", Aang didn't realize that this was a taboo subject. _

"_Are you sure you really want me to explain this to you? It may cause some discomfort on your part….since my comfort level is destroyed at this point….", the older monk laughed._

"_Ava said that she already had that 'talk' with her mentor and I was curious about it. It caused her to blush when I brought it up on our walk…", the Avatar smiled deviously as he recalled the encounter. He had never seen her blush so much, her entire face was red._

"_Sex is an action between two consenting ADULTS who are…well…smitten with each other…and there are certain parts of the body that are…well….they're….er…used in a manner that is pleasing to both parties….", Gyatso realized that he had lost his pupil somewhere in the mix, "You are too young for this discussion and quite honestly if Ava already knows about this kind of subject, her mentors were too impatient and should have waited a bit longer to tell her….well that's my opinion on it…"_

"_Alright…", Aang walked out of the room laughing at the obvious discomfort that he caused his mentor. While Ava was very much embarrassed by the subject she explained to him what it was. He was very much aware of what it was, he had found some Karma Sutra scrolls in the Second High Priest's study once and one of the older boys at the Temple explained what they were doing._

* * *

><p>"Oh my gods!" Ava began to blush furiously as she backed away from him. "You knew the whole time didn't you? And you made me give that explanation!"<p>

"I couldn't help it! You were so cute and I love it when you blush!" Aang laughed as he pulled her back down to the ground and rolled her over so that he was on top of her.

"I think I've reached the moment where all I can think about is those positions in my head…and you doing every last one of them…with me", he smirked.

"You're a pervert for a twelve year old, you know that?" she huffed as she turned her face away from him.

"Yeah, but I'm not twelve anymore…I'm a hundred twelve years old and I want you….ALL of you", the lust in his voice didn't sound like a child, but a man with every intention of seeing his lover naked.

"Aang, while this is very, very tempting, because I was able to KINDA grow up, it can't be like this. I mean the stars are beautiful and the way you're looking at me makes me feel like goo, honestly…", Ava admitted without thinking.

"Goo….really?" Aang smirked and began placing light kisses down her neck to her collar bone.

"This isn't fair…you're messing with fire!" she warned.

"But I'm an airbender, my specialty is being able to put out a fire", he continued as he laid down on top of her and laid his head on her chest.

"Now what are you doing to me?" Ava was beginning to get frustrated….sexually….yeah she had the body of a fourteen year old, but hey she had the mind of a woman and said woman had waited over a hundred years for this moment and she was starting a war within her about morals….they were MEANT for each other.

"Listening to your heart like I used to…it calms me…", he sighed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "To know that this beating muscle, centered in your…wondrous chest, beats for me…"

"Does your heart in your 'wondrous' chest beat for me?" Ava laughed at the tone he had taken. He was never very good at being serious.

"Of course. I pledged myself to you eons ago", he returned her laughter with his own.

"What are we going to do?" Ava broke the silence that had fallen between them.

"Well I would like to start here…", he popped up and pointed down at her neck and went in to nibble on it, but was quickly stopped by his Chalice's lovely hands.

"I mean about Ozai and having to learn the elements…", she grumbled.

"Oh…that…", he sat for a moment thinking before he answered, "We have to get to the North Pole as soon as we can, once we leave there we can return to Omashu for me to learn earthbending from Bhumi, and then we will have to hunt someone down to teach me firebending."

"Wow…when did you come up with that plan?" Ava was pleasantly surprised.

"When I was thinking what dirty things I could do to you", Aang smiled.

"Lecher!" She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him crashing down on her with a VERY passionate kiss.

"Please Ava….let me worship your body the way I worship your soul…", he whispered into her ear.

"Do you even know the first thing about lovemaking?" she asked genuinely shocked by his behavior. Innocent boy by day and a sex deviant by night.

"I haven't a clue", he admitted in defeat, "All I know is that I want to lay here forever with you…"

"Remember what happened the last time you talked like that…", she warned.

"I know ALL too well. I can't run away from this. It is not fair to you or the other people in the world who depend on me. I have to restore balance to the world, especially since it's my fault for the mess it's in now", he grumbled as his eyes began to get heavier.

"We should get back to camp", Ava tried to get up, but was shocked to see that Aang would not let her. Even with her having an inch advantage over him did not help.

"Appa can bring them to us in the morning…", he rolled over onto his back and motioned for her to cuddle up against him once more. They embraced each other like old lovers do and began to fall asleep, "Tonight we simply enjoy each other's company."

* * *

><p>When morning came along with a big sloppy wet kiss from their flying bison, Ava groaned about getting up. It seemed as though they had just closed their eyes before they having to be awake again. Aang had to keep waking her up until they saddled Appa. It was then her Avatar ordered her in a "nice" way to go to sleep. He compromised by letting her ride on Appa's head, using his leg as a pillow, although she was kicked back to the saddle when she almost fell off. She huffed as she crashed down on Sokka while she crawled to a decent spot on the saddle. A smile crossed her face when she heard his yelps.<p>

It seemed she had only closed her eyes when Aang woke her up, citing that a break was needed from the long flight.

"Long? Long my ass!" she huffed as she tried to cover herself up with a blanket. She growled as her Avatar snatched it up and begged her to get up so that they could have a walk.

"Why not fly? You are airbenders, since when do airbenders walk?" Sokka scoffed as he stretched and prepared himself to go find food for the party.

"Why not actually catch something this time? You ARE a hunter, since when do hunters fail at bringing back a meal?" Katara shot back as she prepared camp with Ava's help.

"Okay you two, please, we are all a little stressed out and agitated with each other, but remember we have to stick together", Aang encouraged.

Both girls simply rolled their eyes at him and decided they would go and bathe in some springs that they had spotted nearby. Momo accompanied them as their watchman. Aang felt a pang of jealousy that the flying lemur he had adopted would get to see HIS Ava in a way that didn't seem to be in his near future.

"I have a personal question for you…", Katara interrupted the silence.

"Sure…go ahead…shoot", Ava waived her hand.

"Did you and Aang do it last night?" the Water Tribe girl cut to the chase. She saw them take off together and even watched them soar a little in the sky before Sokka had hunted her down and told her to leave them be. She was genuinely concerned for both friends but their flying was so….AMAZING. Yet they disappeared and did not reunite with the Water Tribe siblings until Aang called for Appa.

"Wow…that's REALLY personal don't you think?" the Chalice was shocked at the boldness of the girl.

"Well I mean you guys were gone for so long and I was getting worried but Sokka said that you two needed 'time' together alone since you don't get much with us around…", Katara blushed at the implications of "time".

The color in Ava's face drained. The siblings had assumed that she and Aang had sex off in the woods. What did they do that would provoke such thoughts? She kept trying to think whether they had been too clingy, too handsy….she couldn't think of anything that would spark this conversation that the other girl was trying to have with her at the moment.

"You don't have to say anything…I can see it in your face…", the waterbending girl laughed.

"NO! Nothing like that happened between Aang and I. We have more self-control than that", Ava mumbled, "His intentions toward me are pure."

"I'm sorry, I was completely out of line for asking anything like that", Katara realized she had hit a sour note with the Chalice. She didn't want to ruin their fragile friendship over some gossip. She tried to change the subject but she could tell that the topic was still bugging the airbender. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all", Ava lied. She had lots of thoughts in her head and mostly about idea of Aang and her having…She had to get those thoughts out of her head otherwise she would think of nothing but having sex with the Avatar who was still technically a boy. She shook her head as she thought about how clearly inappropriate that step in their relationship would be at this juncture. 'Give him at least six more years', the serious side of her mind thought while the other shouted, 'He's of the accountability age according to their culture!'

* * *

><p>"Ava!" Aang called out to the woods after a while. Both the girls had been gone longer than he felt comfortable letting them on their own for. He knew Ava could take care of herself and Katara would be able to put up somewhat of a decent fight, but….Images of them being captured by some Fire Nation soldiers that had secretly been following them…Ava returning to Zuko's side….He shook the images out of his head and proceeded to call for his companion and Chalice.<p>

Ava could feel the uneasiness in Aang's soul and advised Katara that she was going to start back. She was still exhausted from the flight that they had taken the night before. She had not done that much airbending in over a hundred years. She was completely out of shape for it and knew that Aang would most likely have her start working out with him to get back into the swing of things. The girls dried off and headed over to the camp. Ava curled up on Appa's tail waiting for her Avatar to return, Katara approached her after Sokka went to sleep.

"What was that called that you and Aang were doing? With your staffs?" she asked.

"We were flying. We used to do it all the time when we lived at the Temple. Gyatso said that every lifetime we were airbenders we would always have this aerial dance that we would do with each other. For us, it's freedom. It allows us to be free", Ava smiled as she recalled the lifetimes in which they had shared that dance. It was always the same no matter whether she was female or male.

"It was very romantic", a male voice cut through the night air. Sokka was sitting up with his hand underneath his chin, sighing….Ava wasn't sure whether he was being honest or being a prick. "Er…uh….whatever….Goodnight."

He turned over abruptly as he had woken up and went back to sleep. Ava and Katara couldn't help but look at each other and begin giggling. Sokka was many things, but a romantic didn't seem to be one of them. They reached the conclusion that perhaps he was a softy deep inside.

* * *

><p>Ava waited until Katara and Sokka were asleep when she decided to visit a certain banished Prince. She owed him an explanation and she had told him once before that she would not intentionally keep anything from him. She had broken that promise and now she needed to speak with him. The Prince's ship was not hard to find. It still needed repairs from the close encounter during the Winter Solstice. Appa landed on the ship and was quickly surrounded. Iroh called the men to order and quickly whisked the girl away.<p>

"My Chalice, we must stop meeting like this", he teased as he poured some of his favorite jasmine tea into cups for the two of them.

"Where is he, Iroh?" she gently pushed as she sipped on the warm liquid. She forgot how good the former general was at making tea. She used to love to sit and have conversations with him while drinking his brews. There were many nights when she ended up sleeping on his couch because she had stayed far too late into the night listening to the old man's philosophies on life.

"I don't think speaking with him would be a good idea right now, Ava", the old man honestly admitted, "He's very angry with not only you but me as well."

"Perhaps I approached my departure in the wrong fashion?" the Chalice was upset to know that the child she had seen grow in the years she was in the Fire Nation become cold and distant.

"We both know that Ozai would have killed you before he let you willingly leave the Fire Nation", the general grumbled as he took another sip of his tea. He could tell the young woman was greatly troubled. She and Zuko had a very special connection while he was growing up. She was after all his favorite "Auntie". "Let me speak with him and see if he is willing to see you."

"Why would I not be willing to see my own godmother, Uncle?" Zuko's voice cut through both the Chalice and the general like a samurai sword in the belly of an enemy. His tone alone spoke of the heartache and anger that was flowing off of him. "Please, Auntie, why don't join me for a walk?"

"I would like that", Ava smiled and placed her cup of tea down. She excused herself from Iroh's presence and proceeded to follow her godson onto the deck. She was not surprised to have him attack her, it was normally how they greeted each other. She of course dodged all of his moves only to pin him on his back with her staff at his throat.

"As if that could do any damage", he scoffed and tried to attack her again but quickly thought better of it when she hit a pressure point in his throat causing him to start choking. The men of the crew began to circle around the woman when Iroh again had to call them off.

"You shouldn't have pushed her so hard, Zuko", he teased as he held his cup of tea in his hands while he waited for Ava to press the same and allowed the Fire Prince to breathe again.

"So is that how Ty Lee learned her moves?" Zuko mumbled as he stood up waiving off her assistance.

"She and Mei never thought it was fair that I was teaching you all the cool tricks", Ava smirked as she walked up to him. He was considerably taller than her now. She wasn't sure if she liked it, or the scar that his father purposely put on his face. Carefully and gently she placed her hand on the damaged side of his face. He flinched only a little and was surprised to see nothing but love in her eyes toward him.

"I don't need your pity", he growled as he pulled away from her but was surprised to be embraced by her once more in a tight hug.

"I never pitied you. I simply adored you", whispered only loud enough to where he could hear it.

"Adored…past tense…since your precious Avatar has returned the affection is no longer the same", his voice hissed.

"I still ADORE you. You are the closest thing I had to a child in my hundred years. I wouldn't expect you to forgive me, Zuko. But I do expect you to respect me as your elder. My appearance is a façade", Ava twirled around for him to look at her. She hadn't aged a day from his memories of her.

"Why did you leave me?" Zuko demanded. He wanted to know why the young girl that he idolized and even loved abandoned him shortly after his mother's disappearance.

"Your father wanted me dead", she simply stated.

"If my father wanted you dead why did he allow you to be named my godmother in Fire Nation terms?" the Prince questioned.

"Why has your father done the things that he has done? It was a benefit to him because he got your mother to trust him by giving me the honor of said title not to mention to try and ease my weariness of him so that I would have a false sense of safety when it came to him", She stated matter-of-factly, "With me out of the way there would be no one to stand against him on his siege of the world."

"Your Avatar has twisted your mind to where you cannot see reality!" the Prince accused.

"No, Zuko. You have allowed yourself to be tormented by your rage and your inability to realize that your father doesn't give a rat's ass about you or your accomplishments. I assure you that he has Azula in mind for the throne. You are simply a pawn in his game and he cast you aside. What more would he want from you?" Ava began walking up to him, causing him to back away, "You are banished by his hand, deformed by his hand, and neglected by the god you worship known as 'Father'. He had no right."

"You had no right. Mother had already vanished. I NEEDED you", Zuko growled.

"I'm sorry for leaving you when I did, but how could I stay after learning of your father's plans? You idolized him and would not part from his side, especially after your mother's disappearance. How could I take you willingly?", she stopped and grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest, "I swear on my soul and that of my Avatar, that I truly do love you."

Zuko snatched his hand away from her and began to wipe it on his uniform. He noticed the hurt look on her face as he did it. Her eyes began to well up and she simply bowed, thanking him for allowing an audience and wishing him a long and prosperous life. She again told him how much she loved him as her godson and turned her back to walk away. He had a chance to see her, to hold her, to visit with her. She was standing before him and he was rejecting her. Of course he was angry with her! He needed her to be there for him as his godmother and she was supposedly "dead". He had mourned for her, weeped for her, and missed her….yet here she was, walking away again and this time it was because he sent her away.

"Auntie!" he called to her as she climbed onto the bison that was waiting on her, "Please, stay a moment."

"Thank you, Zuko", she smiled and dismounted from the bison. He offered his arm to her and she gladly accepted. They returned to Iroh's study and began to talk of the olden days when she had been living in the Fire Nation.

"Remember that time that Azula put an apple on your head?" she laughed, "I don't remember what the point of the game was, but all I remember was you and Mei ending up in the fountain with her on top. She had a crush on you, you know?"

"Oh I know…", Zuko looked away. A few seconds later he looked to his godmother who's mouth was hanging in shock.

"So…Mei finally got her Prince….", Ava started to tease.

"It's not like that!...Well….at least anymore. I haven't really seen nor talked to her since I was banished. We were an item before that", the Prince looked down at the floor.

"Has she seen you since the Agni Kai against your father?" the Chalice questioned. She didn't want that to be the only hold up.

"No, her father made it very clear with Zuko being banished that it would not be a prudent match and could cause societal damage to the family's reputation", Iroh said in a mocking voice.

"Really? Her father is only a governor…even a relationship with an ousted royal would be better than some of the members of the court", Ava huffed, "Besides…Mei always had a mind of her own, she just didn't voice it much."

"You can say that again", Zuko laughed and realized that it was getting late.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Zuko. I know that this won't change anything. You will continue to come after Aang…we'll be running into each other a lot. I only ask that you do not begrudge me for fighting my damnedest to keep him from you…but you should know…that I will protect you just as fiercely should he choose to retaliate against you at any point", the Chalice stood up, "Thank you both for the wonderful tea and memories."

"So this is goodbye?" the Prince sulked.

"No, this is only the beginning. I have to get back to the others, they don't know where I was at", she mumbled as she airbended herself to the top of Appa's head where she grabbed the reins. "Yip, yip!"

* * *

><p>Aang returned to the camp, a bit put out that he didn't get any responses from his pleas to Ava through their connection. When he looked at Appa's tail he realized why. She was fast asleep. He simply shook his head and joined her, wrapping her up to him and inhaling her scent. He would never tire of that scent.<p>

"Where were you?" she whispered looking back at him half asleep.

"I was out looking for you…next time answer when I call to you….please", he chastised. He couldn't help but laugh at her groggy comment about if she wasn't so tired she'd make him regret that tone he was taking with her.

"I think I will make you 'pay' next time you make me worry like that", a devilish grin crossed his lips as he kissed her head and joined his lover in the dreaming realm.

Ava mentally thought to herself about how she would have to remember in the morning to tell Aang where she had gone and why she had not answered to him. 'This should be fun...'


	13. Waterbending Lessons

**Return to Me**

**Waterbending Lessons**

"I know that you're nervous, my love, but if you don't STOP pacing back and forth then I will have to summon up all my strength to keep from airbending your ass off this bison!" Ava screamed as the tick of her Avatar moving back in forth incessantly had finally taken a toll on her patience. She knew he was nervous but freaking out about it was not the answer. Even Sokka's comment about hitting a bump was a comedic relief to Aang's panic and considering that Ava didn't really think anything from the water tribe boy's mouth was funny she knew she had finally lost her sanity.

A gentle tug on his arm brought him into her comforting arms. She made him lay on his back using her lap as a pillow facing the sky. She began to hum as she stroked his face.

Katara couldn't believe how quickly he began to calm down just by Ava's touch. They truly were soulmates and in that instant she was jealous not to have someone like that. She decided that perhaps she was useful after all, "Maybe I can show you what I know about waterbending. You know, get you somewhat familiar with it, so that when we reach the North Pole you won't look so desperate."

Aang shot straight up from Ava's lap and ran to Katara, kneeling before her. "You would really do that?"

"Yeah we just have to find a really good water source to practice at first", the water tribe girl smiled at the two before her.

They had found a waterfall not too far from where they had planned to camp for the night and decided to take a break from flying to try out some waterbending. Ava couldn't help but laugh when Aang began to undress after Appa landed in the water and began splashing around. It was then that she noticed something. He seemed a bit taller than he was the other day and were those muscles?…or perhaps it was just her imagination. She was called away from her observations and thoughts by Katara gingerly chastising Aang for forgetting the real reason why they stopped there.

"So what am I supposed to do while you two are splashing away?" Sokka sarcastically stated as he looked around for ANYTHING to do.

"You can help me clean Appa", Ava chimed in, "He's starting to smell a bit."

"So you're saying while your lover boy and my sister play in the water, we have to clean your dirty bison?" The boy seemed a little more than displeased at the suggestion.

"Or you could watch me do it, although for the safety of your life I would suggest you help", the Chalice smiled sweetly.

"With sentiments such as those, who would cross ya. Sure I'm in", Sokka huffed as he grabbed the tree branch from the Chalice and began helping her pick the mud out from between Appa's toes. "So where did you disappear to last night?"

"Excuse me?" Ava looked over Appa's saddle at the nosy boy. She rolled her eyes when she did not receive a response and decided that perhaps she had misheard him.

"I said where did you take off to last night? Aang came looking for you twice in the camp…I don't think he even noticed that Appa was missing with you. He didn't exactly stay at campsite too long when he realized you weren't there", the boy's blue eyes began to pierce through her.

"Whatever business I took care of last night will be discussed between me and Aang. No one else needs to know what I am 'up to' in your words", the female airbender tied her hair up in a knot to keep it from getting her way. She really needed to see what was going on with this bison's toes. She used to keep them so clean, but after a hundred years in ice…well….

"I know it's none of my business. I just don't want any surprises for me and my sister. I need to know what is going on so that if something does happen. Then I am prepared", Sokka's voice wasn't hostile but it did give off a warning tone.

"Very well. Should I think you need to know of my business I will inform you", Ava smiled and continued to meticulously clean Appa's toes. She was beginning to regret threatening the boy to help her. He was just as nosy and trespassing as his sister.

Their silence was quickly and literally washed away by a giant wave that Aang had created during his brief training with Katara. Ava had been so engrossed on how to tell Aang that she had gone to see Zuko before Sokka opened his big mouth about her absence that she didn't see the water coming and both she and the other boy were washed away by the wave.

"Ava!" Aang panicked and allowed the wave to disappear as he rushed to his Chalice's side. She was still sputtering water when he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the shore. "I'm so sorry, Ava."

"It's alright, you just need to be more careful is all", the Chalice smiled as she stood up and used her airbending abilities to dry herself off.

"Well you're waterbending just practiced away ALL of our supplies!" Sokka was steamed. He already had problems with his sister and all of her magic water tricks and now he had two people to be watching out for. The guy only had so many shoulders to look over!

"Surely there is somewhere around here that will have all the stuff we need to restock", Aang sheepishly grinned at the pissed off party before him.

* * *

><p>When they reached the market, Sokka solemnly informed them that they only had three copper pieces left from the money that Bhumi had given them but stood corrected as Aang revealed he bought a useless bison whistle, in which prompted the group to vote Katara in charge of the money. Ava couldn't help but laugh when it occurred to her that all she had to do was reveal who she was. Surely if she was known in Omashu then she was known throughout the Earth kingdom. She tried it on a few merchants but no one was really buying it.<p>

They seemed completely defeated until one merchant approached her and asked if she was truly Ava. The woman then recounted how Ava and her men had saved her and her family when she was younger from Fire Nation raiders and that they had even helped her and her family move to Omashu after the incident. Ava did recall the memory and profusely thanked the woman for helping her and her comrades out. She knew the next time she saw Bhumi, he was going to have to "handsomely" reward the small merchant family.

The group continued its march through the market when they stumbled upon another merchant. The man was obviously sea trash in Ava's eyes but the others were genuinely curious about the goods he had to sell. Her confirmation was received when the "captain" tried to bargain with Aang for the Momo. Even a firm "he's not for sale" wasn't good enough for these leeches. Ava had to get nasty.

"Look here you disease infested, scurvy, excuse for a human being. The lemur is NOT for sale and should you ask or push for it again, I will personally use the claws of your lizard bird and pluck out your eyes", She smiled at the end. The group looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but the captain laughed and agreed that he'd back off.

Katara called Aang's attention to a waterbending scroll. Ava rolled her eyes knowing that this was going to get ugly. An item such as that scroll was hard to come by, even for pirates, and the price would be high… and then…she couldn't believe it! She saw Katara stash the scroll in her outfit as Aang tried to haggle with the captain. 'Stupid girl is going to get us killed', Ava thought to herself. She made a mental note that she would deal with Katara personally but her main concern was getting out unscathed at this point. Aang had managed to piss off the captain and Katara took the lead on getting out of the ship. Ava rolled her eyes again when they got outside and the boys kept questioning the water tribe girl about her need to leave all of a sudden.

The pirate who had led them into the store was chasing them outside and demanding that they return. Aang, of course, got the wrong impression and stopped. Katara was beginning to back away when her brother noticed her strange behavior too. Ava saw the "light bulb" click on in his head. He realized what she had witnessed. More pirates came outside and that was when Ava took over. She pulled a sword from the inside of her staff and threw it's "sheath" to Aang, who stood dumbfounded with the rest of the group.

"I suggest Lady and Gentlemen, that if we do not stand and fight, then we haul ass and run", She stated as she grabbed Aang's hand and slapped Sokka on the back of his head with the butt of her blade. "Let's get a move on it!"

The pirates split into two separate groups to catch them. The first group was easily deterred by Katara's waterbending and Aang's airbending. The second group cornered the teenagers. Ava stepped out in front of them and began to take her stance. Her eyes lit up and she airbended Aang back against the wall when he tried to stop her. The first pirate never saw it coming. She ran at them full speed and then slid down on her knees between his legs and rising up behind him and sweeping her sword low behind her, cutting the back of his ankles. She then did the splits and using her airbending pushed the other two pirates away. She "summoned" her staff from Aang and stuck her sword in it while advising Aang to airbend with her and having the siblings ride with them. Katara with Ava and Sokka with Aang.

* * *

><p>When they reached the falls that they had been at earlier in the day, Ava slammed Katara to the ground and pulled her sword out again, the blade on the younger girl's neck. "Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't end you now!"<p>

"Ava!" Aang started in but was surprised when Sokka stepped in front of the Chalice, earning the blade at his throat.

"I understand that you're angry. I'm not exactly happy with her either, but please, Ava", the boy begged, "She gets over excited…"

"With the stupid shit she pulled she's lucky to feel ANYTHING! Those pirates could have killed us! Neither one of you have skills in fighting! I do and Aang has his Avatar abilities and his airbending to get him out of situations like this", Ava used a few moves and got the brother out of the way. She picked Katara up by her collar, "You are only a few words away from becoming sushi, little mermaid."

Aang's Avatar state confronted his Chalice. "This is not the way we are to help the world and you know it", he placed his hand on her wrist, causing her to release the girl.

"I will NOT endanger our lives so that she could have a parchment that could have easily been found in the North", the Chalice spirit began speaking through Ava's body as her tattoos and eyes lit up in unison with her mate's.

"Humanity, my love. I know that you are out of practice with it, but these are not the times that you have the right to use that kind of attitude. I do not condone killing or violence", He was firm with her.

With a huff, the Chalice walked away. Aang's eyes returned to normal. He looked to his friends who had terrified looks on their faces. "I understand if you feel that you two should leave, in fact I would almost encourage it", he whispered before walking away to find his lover.

Ava was sitting near the bank of the river near the base of the falls. She knew she had overreacted but the wrecklessness of the girl and the fact that she had a grin on her face the entire time when they came back…it sent her over the edge.

"Ava?" Aang sat next to her and was surprised to have her lean her head on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"First off, I am sorry for the way I reacted. Her arrogance pushed me and the fact that WE were the ones who had to defend what SHE stole…it just made my blood boil", she admitted, "Also there is something I have been trying to find a way to tell you all day…"

"I know you went to see Zuko. I wasn't going to say anything because I wanted to see if you would trust me enough to tell me yourself. I know that you and he have a relationship I will never understand and I know that you would fight to the death for both of us and I will always respect that. But please, quit going behind my back to see him. Just let me know to my face next time you would like to visit him…", Aang stood up and seemed to tower over her as he offered his hand to help her up. She accepted it and realized that he was the same height as her.

"Have you grown?" she teased but was worried when she received an unexpected answer.

"Yeah, I've been noticing that I have been growing. Look at my clothes", he pointed down to his attire and it seemed to have become smaller on him, "Is this normal?"

"I don't think it is", she looked him over once more, "I am going to need fabric and a needle to fix this."

"Well for now I need you to fix this", he pointed in the direction of camp and even his face could not betray that he was surprised there was still people to return to.

* * *

><p>Once they reached camp, Ava and Katara drew to each other like magnets. Both apologized for their behavior, but neither said a word after. Katara could still feel the anger emanating off of Ava and while she did feel guilty for what she had done, she was pleased with herself. She tried to practice the waterbending moves but they were not coming to her as they were to Aang earlier in their training session. She was getting frustrated and it did not help having her brother heckling her the whole while, nor the hilarious moment when Ava simply pulled him off the rock he sat on and dragged him over to the camp fire for a "time out". She almost received one herself from Ava for yelling at Aang about the moves, but the Chalice opted for taking the scroll for a bit instead.<p>

Ava awoke to the sound of rustling and saw that Katara was going through her brother's bag. The Chalice shook her head knowing that the young girl had seen her put it there even if Sokka had not. She figured if he didn't know then it wouldn't hurt him, lessening the chance that he would give it to her. Silently she followed the girl, waiting for the perfect opportunity to confront her, but Zuko appeared.

"I'll save you from the pirates", he smiled as he held the young girl in his arms.

"Zuko", Ava walked out from behind the bushes.

"Auntie?" the banished prince was genuinely surprised, "I didn't know that you were still traveling with them…"

"You know full well that where my Avatar goes I am with him and where his loyalties to his friends lie, I must honor that", she glared at Katara, "Let her go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Auntie. See, this little girl has stolen something very valuable from some 'friends' of mine. I agreed to help them get it back…", Zuko began explaining.

"I was afraid your stubbornness would come through. You always were a stubborn child. If you continue to act as such, I will continue to treat you as such….now listen to me, Zuko, let the girl go…", Ava warned her godson.

"I think not, Auntie. You know better than I that I need your Avatar and yet YOU of all people refuse to help me", the prince began to get angry.

"I fear you know that's impossible for me…just as Aang knows it's impossible for me to bring myself to cause any harm to you, even if it means helping him escape", the Chalice inched closer and finally let out a whirlwind of air sending all of Katara's captors flying. She quickly untied the girl and began running.

"Remind me when this is over, to beat the living shit out of you!" she called to her companion.

"Yeah…I'll hold on to that", the younger girl replied sarcastically.

Ava kept running the pirates and the Fire Nation hunting parties in circles, hoping to lose them. When she thought her plan had worked she informed Katara that they were going to lay low for a while, and when it was safe, they would return to camp.

"Ava, I'm truly sorry", the water tribe girl tried to smooth things over. She could tell by the hateful look she received it was not working in her advantage.

"How many times must you endanger peoples' lives before you realize that you are not the only living thing in this world that can be hurt?" the Chalice growled, "How many times must I risk our freedom to save you?"

"You didn't have to come for me", Katara growled back. She was tired of submitting to Ava's control.

"Choose your next words carefully, little mermaid. They may be your last. Giving you up to them no matter how Aang punishes me is starting to look enticing", Ava stood up on the branch she was perched on and began making her way to the other girl.

"I'M NOT INTIMIDATED BY YOU!" Katara fiercely shouted. She tried to fight the elder girl when she saw her hands shooting out to her like she was going to do something.

"Shut the HELL up! Do you want to be found? They will do worse to you than I ever could. They are pirates and Zuko is Fire Nation. You don't think he would enjoy turning you over to his father? Ozai loves to torture…I'm living, breathing proof", she hissed in a whisper as she revealed her right shoulder. There was scarring, as if a spear had been plunged into her shoulder. Ava maneuvered so that Katara could see the scar reached to the back of her shoulder as well. "Went clean through."

"Look, I know we don't get along. I am not asking for us to get along. All that I ask is that you respect me as I have tried to respect you", Katara mumbled as backed away from Ava.

"Earn it", Ava ended the conversation when she noticed the sun was coming up.

She knew her Avatar would be looking for her and that Zuko would be looking for him. 'Aang', her mind called out to him.

* * *

><p>Aang shot up as if Ava was whispering in his ear, but he knew….he had not sensed her body near his for some time. She was far away from his current location. He looked over to see Sokka rummaging through his sack. 'He must have noticed that Ava put the scroll in there', he thought to himself.<p>

"I can't believe it! Katara's gone and so is the scroll! Her obsession is going to get us in a lot of trouble!", the water tribe boy complained and was quickly captured by a rope and drug forward.

Aang's attentions turned to the owner of the rope and saw that it was one of the pirates from before. He stood up to grab his staff and noticed another behind him. This pirate was a LOT bigger and held two arrow guns. Aang was too late to fight off the advances when he realized that the arrows were connected to a large net. He was instantly entangled and being dragged away. He heard Sokka complain about not being kidnapped and then another firing from the arrow guns. With a thud on the ground the would-be rescuer was also captured and being drug away.

'Ava!' he called out to his Chalice, 'Run!'

Ava's eyes and tattoos lit up. She turned to the water tribe girl and commanded her to hold onto her as she opened her staff to reveal her glider. Katara didn't question her and knew that it had something to do with her brother and Aang. Ava used her airbending to quickly get her to the location where Zuko was waiting. She released Katara on the ground behind her and stood in front, withdrawing her sword from her staff as she faced off against her godson.

"Release him now, Zuko!" her Chalice voice drove fear into the heart of the pirates although they tried to maintain their composure.

"We'll be taking that girl with us", the captain pointed at Ava, "She wounded several of my men and that one behind her is the one who started this whole mess."

"OVER MY DEAD BODY", Ava growled as she stood in front of Katara.

"You can't have the girls", Zuko shot back, "We agreed to the boy for the scroll, do you dare back down from our deal?"

"These women do not concern you, boy", the captain withdrew his sword and began to make his way with his minions in tow towards Ava.

"I wouldn't make that mistake, if I were you", Iroh called from behind Zuko, who quickly jumped into the fray to protect his godmother.

Blades clinked and bellowed amongst the dust and chaos that ensued. Ava had lost all of her compassion for the men and began to kill them one by one. Zuko following suit until he confronted the captain, fighting until he was nearly drained. He was surprised to have Ava stand in front of him and continue his battle. Her eyes had darkened and her movements became almost too swift for his eyes to follow. By the end of the bloody fray, the captain was dead, a sword sticking through his throat. Ava stood above the man, covered in blood from head to toe. She kicked him off the end of her blade and looked to Zuko. There was no warmth, there was compassion, she was not the Ava he had learned to honor and love. She was a cold-hearted killer in that moment, almost as if she was in a trance.

"_Have you heard of the Bloody Baroness from the Earth Kingdom?" Azula smiled as she danced around her brother, "Father captured her, you know."_

"_You mean the one that the soldiers were saying was a demoness?" Zuko was genuinely curious but quickly ended the discussion once he noticed his mother's disapproving gaze._

"_She was once a good and righteous woman. The war brings out the worst in people and unfortunately she was one who could not handle the horrors. Rather than finding a peaceful solution, she picked up a blade, by the thousandth man's life taken by it, she began to realize too late what she had done. Death is no solution to any problem and neither is violence", Ursa confided to her children, "She seeks forgiveness now."_

"_Is THAT the load of shit she told you?" the little princess cackled. _

"_Azula! You don't need to say words like that!" her elder brother chastised. He looked to his mother, there was sadness in her eyes._

Those eyes…the sadness in them was beginning to peek through. Ava was coming to her senses again. She fell to her knees and began screaming as Aang reached her. Another memory quickly flashed to Zuko's mind as he saw Aang pick up his godmother.

"_Auntie? Were you really the Bloody Baroness?" Zuko asked as he held Ava's hand while they made their way to his favorite pond._

"_Who told you that?" She smiled weakly as if her mind had wandered away from him._

"_Azula", he sighed as he sat at the edge._

"_What do you think?" Ava questioned._

"_I don't think you could be. How could you? You're too nice", Zuko grinned at her and saw the sadness in her eyes….just like his mother._

"_Keep thinking that, my sweet prince, and maybe someday for my sake, it will be true", she whispered as she held him close to her, a tear dropping into the pond towards their reflection, "Promise you will always remain innocent of violence and destruction."_

"_As long as you promise to be with me always", the little prince snuggled into her warm embrace._

"Auntie!" he called to her, but Aang had already taken her away. All this time she was trying to teach him something. She was trying to protect him from becoming as she was. What was she? The person who was swept up in his prey's arms was not the woman she was long ago. She was empty….a shell of her former self….

"Sir! Aren't we going to go after the Avatar?" his captain requested.

"No. Leave them be for now", Zuko mumbled as he walked past his bewildered crew to his uncle.

"What have you not told me of Ava?" he demanded.

"Many things that she never wanted you to know", Iroh sighed as he escorted his nephew back to his chambers to tell him the story of the Bloody Baroness of Omashu.

* * *

><p>"Ava?" Aang whispered as he held her face to his with their foreheads touching, "Ava?"<p>

"You don't deserve this…I don't deserve you", she began to cry as she tried to pull away.

"How can you say that? How can you say that you don't deserve me?" the Avatar was confused, never had his Chalice rejected him.

"Don't you see what I did? What I've done for so many years?" Ava shouted as she reference to her bloodied clothes, "I don't deserve ANY of you!"

"Ava", Katara reached out to the elder girl, "What makes you think just because you lost yourself in a moment that we would care any less for you?"

"Look, what happened back there was bad…I mean really awful, but you were protecting us", Sokka put his hand on her shoulder.

"I killed people…I've killed thousands of people….", the Chalice looked defeated in that moment.

"But you SAVED millions", Katara stressed, "You defended the Earth Kingdom from tyranny for years."

"Think of how many lives you saved by servicing the people of the Earth Kingdom. Yeah things could have been done differently, but you dealt with it. You handled the situation that was presented. You…", Sokka started.

"Did what I had to do? I went above and BEYOND to ensure that NO Fire Nation soldier made it home….How many sons, fathers, brothers, husbands did I kill supposedly in the name of the Earth Kingdom when it was solely for my vengeance? My ENTIRE nation was slaughtered. They barely fought back because it was not in our nature to fight. What good did that do us?", she growled as she began to shake from frustration, "Air Nomads are myths and legends…we are ghosts…"

"Is that why you lived in the shadows? You thought you were a ghost?" Aang chuckled, "You are as much of a ghost as I am, or as they are."

"What changed your mind all those years ago?" Sokka hinted, "It was a little Fire Nation prince…wasn't it?"

"You said so yourself, that Zuko was the closest thing you had to a child while I was gone", Aang admitted, "He still holds your heart and has helped heal a piece of you that I may never be able to."

"I'm sorry. I never wanted us to end up like this…to be so separated. We are supposed to be in this together, right? All of us?" Ava began to sit up more.

"Don't do that", Sokka started in, "Don't try to shut down the emotions."

"Let them out", Katara encouraged, "Shout if you have to….breathe fire!"

Ava looked to the comforting circle around her. They all had their faults. The Spirits and the Heavens knew that. Yet the four of them were here, together. She was no longer alone. She had her Avatar. She had her true friends that had seen even the worst of her and laughed at her death threats. She smiled, naturally smiled from ear to ear for the first time in a long time.

* * *

><p>They stopped for the night near some hot springs. Aang wanted time alone with Ava and for once the siblings did not object. Ava slid into the springs first, thinking Aang would keep an eye out for her and keep his distance. She was pleasantly surprised when he joined her. Not once did she shy away from his gaze or his touch. He used his robes to help wash her body from the blood, he was even willing to wash it out of her hair. When he noticed the scar on her shoulder, he kissed it, letting his lips linger on it for a moment. "I may never know the pain you endured while I was away…but I promise you, my Ava, I will help you heal and in time…I will make you whole."<p> 


	14. Revenge is Bittersweet

**Return to Me**

**Revenge is Bittersweet**

* * *

><p>"Who is she really?" Zuko demanded of his uncle.<p>

The former general sighed as he poured himself some tea. "Ava was not always so full of anger and bitterness. There was a time when she was happy."

"When she was with her Avatar before", the prince growled.

"You don't understand their relationship, do you?" Iroh quirked his eyebrow, "If you truly knew their importance to each other, you would understand the world's need for them to remain by each other's side."

"They are opposites….like the water and the moon spirits…yin and yang….all that nonsense", Zuko huffed, "They are to balance the world…or something…"

"No, Prince Zuko. They BECAME opposites….they were at one point one complete soul. They parted as the world formed: Nature with its champion and the humans with theirs. Ava is the Human Spirit incarnate. Why else can she appeal to all nations? Or how her emotions control her very being…", the old man hinted.

"Her vengeance…", the prince whispered.

"Brought on by my grandfather, your great-grandfather, by separating her not once, but twice from the other half of her soul", Iroh sighed, "Her entire nation wiped out because they hid her and would have hid her Avatar if he had not disappeared before that."

"Why did Sozin want her and the Avatar dead? They would simply be reincarnated into the next nation…", Zuko did not understand until Iroh explained that Sozin had learned of a weakness and wanted to use it to once and for all end the Avatar and Chalice cycle.

"I cannot say what the secret is, not even your father knows, but it is vital that the Avatar and Chalice both remain in this world for as long as they can. Together they must help end this ridiculous war", the elder man nodded his head.

"How did she become the 'Bloody Baroness' if she is supposed to be on the human's side?" the prince could hardly believe the stories of gore.

"When one is suffering as she was it is easy to give in to your anger. Anger and loss led her to slaughter thousands of our soldiers over the years. She is the one who…", Iroh grew quiet, "I forgave her long ago when she asked for it…"

"She killed my cousin?" Zuko was in shock, Ava had never mentioned that she had slaughtered a family member of his. Thinking on it he knew he would not have reacted well. He and Tenzin had been close growing up until he joined the army.

"Yes. She knew I would withdraw once Tenzin was murdered. She sought him out…knowing who he was from intelligence that her men had gathered for her", the old man wiped a tear from his eye. He remembered the day clearly….

* * *

><p><em>Ava was in the garden watching over the children as they played. Her mind far off from where she currently sat, trying to find the courage. The air was tense around her and the general. Iroh knew that something was bothering her and decided to ask, not knowing the consequences.<em>

"_What ails you, my dear?" the general inquired as he poured her a cup of tea. He frowned when she declined._

"_I cannot sit here and pretend that I am not a monster who deserves nothing more than the end of your blade", Ava broke her silence and stared at the elder man in his eyes, "I…did something…something terrible against you, Iroh….something I cannot….I DON'T deserve to ask for your forgiveness for…"_

"_What could you have done to me, child?" Iroh laughed as he poured himself a cup._

"_I killed your son….I killed your son knowing who he was….who you were to him. I did it not to save Ba Sing Se, but for my vengeance….", Ava began to cry and was not surprised to hear the tea pot shatter. She looked to see an array of emotions from the old man sitting across from her. They went from shock, to anger, to utter sadness._

"_I thought it would bring me peace…but it only furthered my descent from grace. Had my Avatar been present…I think the world would have cried for what I did in his connection to nature. He would have surely left me in that moment. In malice and hatred I took your only child. My nation was destroyed because of me and my Avatar. Your grandfather…my previous life within your nation did not end well at all", the Chalice stood up from her spot and knelt before the general, "I ask that you take my life as payment for that of your son's and the pain that I have caused you."_

_Iroh contemplated the offer he was receiving from the woman who stole time away from him and his son. It was truly a fine offer, but…he reluctantly put his hands on her shoulders and stood her up with him. "My nephew needs you since his mother is no longer around. I cannot deny that your offer is quite tempting, but in the end it is wrong. You are meant to be in this world and perhaps my son was meant to bring you back to your senses. Promise me his life will not have been in vain. I never agreed with this war and his death was a definitive turning point for me. Bring the world back into balance, find your Avatar, and lead us back into the peaceful times that we only hear about in stories."_

"_I promise", Ava smiled with tears in her eyes._

* * *

><p>"And yet you forgave her?" the prince was trying to wrap his head around what his uncle was telling him about the woman he had admired for so long. He knew his uncle was a humble and honest man, but to forgive someone for taking away his ONLY child? Zuko had to admit that he admired his uncle in that moment.<p>

"By the time I met the 'Baroness' she was beginning to see that death only begot death and it was a never-ending cycle. Then she met someone who seemed to change her mind irrevocably. A young prince who showed her how pure and healing innocence was, how precious life could be. She finally had a face to a feeling that she had been searching for, for quite some time by that point", Iroh smiled.

"I was her crutch", Zuko stood up only to be confronted by an angry Iroh. He had not seen this side of his uncle before.

"Not a crutch, boy! You in a sense were her savior. For a time YOU were her Avatar. She adored you as well as Mei and Ty Lee. Azula she never cared for but we both saw that your sister is crazy", the old man made a face as he used his finger to draw circles beside his head in jest of Azula's questionable mental health.

"Why did no one tell me of all these things before?" the prince stated in defeat. He could not be angry at her, knowing the pain she went through and elated on the inside to know that he had impacted her life as much as she had impacted his.

"Do you honestly think Ava would want you to know all of this? The next time we meet and you spill the beans, don't be surprised if I will require your protection", he stated seriously at the boy, "Don't laugh, I'm serious, she is going to be very cross with me for letting you know all of this."

"I can see her now….IROH! DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO AIR OUT ALL OF MY DIRTY LAUNDRY TO MY GODSON….HE'S JUST A CHILD!" Zuko laughed as he shook his head, "I wish things could have been different."

"I'm sure she wishes the same", Iroh hinted. He knew that Zuko needed to speak with Ava himself and suggested that he send word to her somehow to meet up soon.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay, Ava?" Katara was worried about her friend. The fiery Chalice had sizzled out and died over the last few days. She noticed Ava had barely eaten anything and had not said a word to anyone except for Aang, who seemed worried about her as well.<p>

Ava simply nodded her head in the affirmative. She didn't really know what to say to either Katara or her brother since the incident with the pirates. She knew she had true friends in them, but what does one truly say after being covered in head to toe in someone else's gore? She giggled to herself gaining strange looks from both water tribe siblings.

"Aang, I think something is wrong with your girlfriend", Sokka whispered.

"My wife is fine", Aang corrected and laughed to himself at Sokka's reaction.

"Your wife…or whatever…hey what do you mean your wife? Don't you think you're a little young, mister?" Sokka tried to sound stern, but his voice was changing recently so it didn't come out quite like he had hoped. He even had to admit it was a bit comical.

"Guys, seriously", Katara butted into the conversation, "I'm really worried about her."

"Look we need to worry about other things, like what are we going to eat for breakfast this morning? I'm starving", Aang changed the subject and began walking towards Ava.

"I am going to see if I can find anything to eat. Are you going to be okay?" he sat beside her and was pleased to have her lean into his frame and put her head on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine. I know Katara won't leave me to myself", she laughed, "I think I may talk to her about finding some springs."

"Well please start talking to them when you're comfortable enough to. She's wearing me down about her worry for you", the Avatar smiled as he and Sokka took off.

"Katara", Ava called and wasn't surprised to have the water tribe girl by her side in seconds.

"Yes, Ava?" the younger girl tried to act natural and hide the fact that she was ecstatic that the elder girl finally spoke to her again.

"Don't worry about me, really. You want to try and find some hot springs or something around here? I could really use a soak", Ava smiled as she picked up her staff. Appa was close behind them wanting company since Momo had gone off with the boys.

"Have you noticed that Aang has gotten taller?" Katara brought up a subject that she was curious about.

"Have you noticed that too? I have no idea what is going on with that! He was shorter than me a couple weeks ago and now he's the same height. I don't get it", Ava leaned back as she laughed, "Not that I am complaining but I don't want him to turn into a hundred twelve year old man before I have my fun with him."

Both girls began giggling at the possibilities of that statement. Ava quit laughing first and began looking around. She noticed that Appa was sniffing the air, which meant that someone he didn't know was near. Katara took note and began looking around as well. They heard the breaking of twigs nearby and decided it was a good time to go ahead and get dressed. Ava had her sword out, ready to fight if she had to. Katara was holding her staff, ready to use it as a weapon if need be. The two girls stood close to one another, almost with their backs together to get maximum coverage. Something sounded like it was moving closer. Both girls nodded in agreement to jump whatever it was on the count of three. When they got to three they were surprised to tackle Sokka and Aang.

"What are you doing sneaking around the springs like a pervert!" Katara questioned as she looked at the big knot that she caused on Sokka's head with Ava's staff.

"We weren't sneaking around I swear! We thought we heard something but I guess it was just you guys", Aang smiled as he rubbed the knot that Ava gave him as well.

"You wouldn't be doing that if you would have simply called out to us", Ava mumbled as she kissed his head gingerly.

"Yeah, well that would be like inviting a tiger seal to eat me while I was a penguin…for the millionth time we didn't know it was you guys! I am not exactly going to call out to the boogey man!" the boy grumbled as he stood up to walk back to camp.

"I promise you, Dad and Mom weren't wrong when they explained to you all those years ago, I don't have cooties therefore I could not be a bogeyperson", Katara quirked an eyebrow and laughed when she saw the Avatar and Chalice's reactions.

"Hey where's Momo? I haven't seen him for a while", Aang interrupted the group's laughter.

"I thought he went with you guys", Ava stated matter-of-factly, "If you don't have him and we don't have him…"

"Then he's most likely in trouble somewhere", the Avatar finished his Chalice's thoughts.

* * *

><p>The group went in search of the flying lemur bat. They had almost given up for the day when they finally found in a trap high in the canopy of the forest. Aang used his airbending to fly up to the cage and let him down. He then decided to release some monkeys that had been caught as well. Upon inspecting the traps, Sokka determined they were Fire Nation and suggested they get a move on it. While packing their bags, Sokka suggested they walk instead of fly because his theory that Zuko kept finding them because of the flying bison. Ava had to defend Sokka on his argument to Aang and Katara due to it made perfect sense, although she agreed with them that walking was not the most fun way of transportation. She was so caught up in being miserable walking that she didn't notice until too late that they had walked right into a Fire Nation camp.<p>

Ava pulled out her sword and immediately threw her staff to Katara as she took her stance beside her Avatar and his staff.

"You know it's really not fair that you guys get all the classy looking weapons", Sokka pouted as he tried to appear confident in his strange yet somewhat formidable fighting stance with his boomerang.

"Good afternoon, Gents. We were just trying to pass through…no troubles, savvy?" Ava hinted.

"Yeah, just let us go through and we won't hurt you!" Sokka tried to sound confident but his voice cracked more than usual with his statement.

"What are you doing?" Katara hissed in a whisper.

"Bluffing", Aang stated matter-of-factly.

The group of men began to start laughing with their leader repeating Sokka's statement. Before he could finish he fell to the ground dead. Ava could feel three pairs of eyes on her.

"I didn't do it! How could I? I was standing right here the whole time!" she became defensive. They had all agreed in a group meeting she was not allowed to kill unless she ABSOLUTELY had to.

"Look up there!" Katara pointed to the trees behind the group of Fire Nation soldiers. There was a young man standing with two tiger twin hook swords, one in each hand. He flew down to the ground gracefully and began fighting the soldiers off. Ava and the others joined in, with Sokka getting jealous occasionally because it seemed that the young man and his followers kept stealing his fights by knocking the guys out before he could. In the end he did a really cool move where he ended up running up to the girls. From the looks of it, he was eyeing Katara.

"Hey", he smiled with a piece of wheat in his mouth.

"Hi", Katara answered back, surprised that she had a voice after staring at him with her mouth open.

"Wow you almost took out a whole army!" Aang seemed enamored until he received a nasty look from Ava.

"I'm Jet and these are my freedom fighters: Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, the Duke and Pipsqueak", the young man introduced himself and his companions.

There was something about this boy and his "freedom" fighters that she didn't like. It seemed as though while she was in Bumi's service protecting the Earth kingdom she had heard of this band of miscreants and what she had heard was not good. She thought she would bide her time with this guys and see what was really going on. If she felt like they were a threat….she might have to break that promise she had made.

She and Sokka sat down by the fire that the soldiers had been crowded around only moments ago and watched as the vigilante group gathered supplies. Ava noticed the look on the water tribe boy's face and knew she could count on him for backup, realizing that her Avatar and his sister were falling in love with the charismatic teen.

"This just doesn't seem right in some way, don't you agree?" she whispered to her friend.

"Yeah. It reeks of sin", he glared at each individual.

Needless to say the pair was less than happy to learn that they had been invited back to the hideout where Jet and his fighters were staying. Ava couldn't help but laugh when Sokka fell for Jet's trick about getting up into the Treehouse. Aang declined the offer of using the rope and opted for carrying Ava bridal-style up the trees. Ava noticed the way that Jet looked at them while this happened and quirked an eyebrow when she saw how he helped Katara up. She scowled at the fact that her friend was blushing over what was going on. This was getting out of hand, fast.

"What's wrong?" Aang looked at the way Ava glared in the elder looking boy's direction.

"There's something wrong with him…. Something I can't quite place just yet and I don't like it", she whispered, knowing that the others' were most likely spying on the conversation.

Aang took note of it and smiled, using his deception he had learned from her so long ago. "Aww… come on Ava, he's fine."

She could tell by the look in his eyes he was letting her handle this situation. She was good at reading people, even before the War. They walked hand in hand to the main platform, looking at all the different platforms that had developed into a tent city within the confines of the trees. Ava had to admit to herself that it was positively beautiful.

"Wow…you live up here?" Katara questioned.

"Yeah", Jet smiled, "It's a pretty cool place to live, not to mention the Fire Nation can't find it."

"They would love to find you….wouldn't they,Jet?" Smellerbee laughed as she passed. Ava would have mistaken her for a boy except she could tell through the young girl's armor that it protecting more than her body, it was hiding a secret that was unnoticeable, if you weren't a girl yourself who had to deal with bindings underneath fighting clothes.

"Why is the Fire Nation after you?" the water tribe girl was becoming more and more intrigued by the young man. He couldn't have been more than seventeen years old. His this brown hair, his cocky smile, and the way he kept playing with the grass sprig he had in his mouth…Katara had a crush.

"We keep cutting of their supply lines, stealing their weapons, and doing whatever we can to annoy them", Pipsqueak laughed.

"One day we will run the Fire Nation out of this area and free the Earth Kingdom town they took over a few years back", Jet looked determined with a hint of…it dawned on Ava in that instance. That was the same look she would feel wash over her when she was bound and determined to destroy something…usually someone…REVENGE.

"Yeah nothing braver than a guy in a treehouse", Sokka grumbled and became even more pissed off when his sister belittled him to Jet who simply brushed it off. He noticed that Ava had stopped walking and was staring at the back of the Freedom Fighter leader.

"Ava, is something wrong?" he was concerned. She was acting strange.

"He's vengeful. He's carrying his vengeance out on the Fire Nation soldiers. He's where I was during the siege of Ba Sing Se…and that I assure you, my friend, is not a sane place to be…nor safe for anyone involved", the Chalice whispered to her two male companions. Aang had joined them when he noticed that the water tribe boy had stopped beside his Chalice.

Katara looked behind her to see that her three companions were further behind than what she thought they should have been. She noticed the concerned looks on their faces and was beginning to worry about what it meant. She was quickly taken from her thoughts as she turned to listen to Jet talk. He explained why each of his fighters were there. When Katara asked why he fought, he stopped and began looking at the ground.

"My mother and father were both killed by the Fire Nation. I was only eight years old", his eyes began to water.

"Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation too", she offered.

"I'm so sorry, Katara", he offered her his hand and led her to the "dining" area.

Jet gave a speech, praising each of his fighters that fought beside him that day. He rubbed in the fact that they being children were underestimated, therefore the Fire Nation wasn't going to know what hit them when he was done with them. Ava heard the malice in his voice and remembered that hers was tainted with hatred and bitterness as well at one point. She recognized many signs in this young man that she herself had portrayed during her "Bloody Baroness" years. She looked over to her Avatar with concern and sadness in her eyes.

"Please excuse me", she stated as she walked away from the table when Jet sat down to talk with Katara. The water tribe girl noticed the gesture and quickly excused herself to check on her friend.

"Ava is everything alright?" she placed her hand on the elder girl's shoulder.

"You're not seriously falling for that guy are you? I mean…he's dangerous, Katara. I can sense it…it emanates off of him. I don't think you should get any closer to him than necessary", brown eyes met blue in a defiant stare down.

"Why can't you be happy that my affection is towards someone other than Aang?" Katara questioned, "Do you not want to see me happy?"

"You barely know the boy! If you wish to drop your commitment to Aang, then so-be-it, but I am warning you, that boy is full of vengeance, hatred, and bitterness. His soul has been devoured by the darkness, and I honestly don't think you're the 'angel' meant to save him", Ava admitted placing her hand on her friend's shoulder, "I know that you won't listen to me…you're as stubborn as I am, but please be careful of this boy."

"I have no idea what you mean by anything you said. Jet is a nice guy. He's brave and strong …willing to fight for the people who cannot. He's fighting the Fire Nation to help others…", Katara started but was quickly interrupted.

"He's fighting them to AVENGE HIS PARENTS!" Ava shouted, "Are you so naïve that you're blind to his emotions?"

"Leave me alone", the water tribe girl crossed her arms and walked away.

Ava hung her head low and turned back to her post of staring out into the dark forest with her arms up on the ropes, resting her chin on them. She smiled when she felt a familiar embrace.

"You cannot save everyone, you know that right?" Aang whispered into her ear as he put his arms on either side of hers and placed his head on her shoulder, "He may not be as bad as you think."

"Oh don't you start too!" Ava quickly shot up from her position and turned to face her Avatar. His grey eyes battled her brown in a steel cage match of wills as they were on the same level now. Neither was going to back down.

"Quit trying to boss everyone around. While I find it quite attractive, others find it quite annoying. How do you expect us to get along with anyone if you are constantly trying to tell them how to live their lives?" he whispered with a grin on his face.

"You're one to talk, you're the Avatar remember. You tell the Nations how to get along, or did you forget that little detail of your job description?" She leaned into his face, her lips a hair's breathe away from his.

"Don't tease me, if you're not going to grace me with your beautiful lips", his voice became deeper, causing Ava to blush, "Crimson cheeks now?"

"Shut up", Ava mumbled as she started to turn away but was surprised by Aang's tenacity. He gently grabbed her chin and guided her face back to his, gently kissing her. If Ava could melt into him in that moment and be lost inside him forever she would not have hesitated, but they were interrupted by Sokka.

"Hey guys….WHOA! I…uh…well…you see…I was hoping….we could …..talk…but if you…want to make out…that's good too….just find me later…I guess", the boy covered his face, "BURN MY EYES OUT!"

"Stop", Ava called to the water tribe boy, "Come back here…what do you need to talk about?"

"I can't concentrate talking to you right now…you guys are still like basically groping each other and…I just don't want to have nightmares tonight..", Sokka shut his eyes and began to walk away again, but stopped at Aang's urging.

"Look see, we separated, do you feel better now?" the Avatar was a bit put out, but went ahead and listened to what Sokka had to say.

"Well while you two were practically doing the 'tongue tango' with a side of 'spirit fingers', Jet asked that Ava and I go with him on a mission tomorrow while you and Katara use your waterbending to do something else for him", the water tribe boy huffed.

"What did you say?" Ava was curious as to what her friend had answered for her on her behalf and was pleasantly surprised that he had agreed they'd join the boy to keep a close eye on him. Aang agreed to watch out for any suspicious activity in the mission that involved him and Katara.

* * *

><p>The next morning Sokka and Ava took off on a reconnaissance mission with Jet, the Duke, and Pipsqueak. They were hiding in the trees waiting to see if any Fire Nation soldiers were taking a path that they had not checked in a few months. Jet and the Duke were communicating by whistling to each other as birds. Ava was actually impressed by this and the trick that Sokka used to tell that someone was coming down the road before they saw them by using his dagger in the tree to listen for vibrations. Sokka and Ava were both ready to fight until they saw it was an old man. It did not deter the young man from jumping from the trees and confronting him. When the Freedom Fighters pushed the old man down on the ground, Ava stood over him.<p>

"That's enough, Jet", she warned as Sokka helped the old man up.

"What are you doing Ava?" the boy growled as he began ranting about the Fire Nation. Ava didn't hear a word he said, all she could do was take pity on the poor creature, knowing full well that she must have appeared as crazed and senile as he was looking to her now. Jet began to rear his leg back to kick Ava out the way to get to the old man when Sokka stepped in by getting behind Jet and grabbing his foot with his boomerang.

"Quit it, Jet! He's an innocent old man and she's…", Sokka was interrupted by the screeches of the old man.

"You're the Bloody Baroness! Get away from me!" the old man tried to get away but Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grabbed hold of him again and began taking his things.

"Put one more finger on that man and I will kill you where you stand", Ava readied her sword.

"So it's true then….you are the Bloody Baroness? I knew I recognized you!" Jet seemed as if cupid had struck him with an arrow. He knelt before her, yelling at his fighters to do the same.

"Why, Jet?" Smellerbee was confused.

"She's the Bloody Baroness…she's the woman who saved me when I was a kid", Jet looked at her with a mixture of love and reverence.

"What?" Ava started to back away, her eyes searching the woods as if the memory would pop into her head. So many battles, so many lives taken and saved…and then it hit her, "How did your parents die?"

"My village was set ablaze. My parents didn't make it out of the home, but one of your commanding officers learned that there was a child that was supposed to be in there…and I was that child. You saved me and inspired me to this noble cause. You killed every last fucking Fire Nation soldier that had the audacity to cross your path…", Jet laughed, "It would be an honor to have you fight by my side."

"I'm not the Baroness anymore. I'm glad that I saved you…there were very few that I could save…but my battle is not with the Fire Nation. Most of these soldiers don't agree with the war, but rather than be executed for treason, they die for one man's greed", Ava tried to explain, but saw the reverence that Jet held for her turn into something different entirely: pure rage.

"You said they were all swine and asked if I would join you in your noble cause when I was old enough!" he shouted as he attacked her, "How can you let your people suffer?"

Ava used her airbending foot work to get around Pipsqueak and Smellerbee, who tried to attack her simultaneously to Jet. She sent them flying with one sweep of her sword and went to battle with Jet. She had to admit the boy had some pretty smooth moves, but he was no match for the war veteran. The fight ended with Jet on the ground, his swords stuck in the tree above him and Ava's blade at his throat.

"The Earth Kingdom was never mine to protect", Ava pulled up her sleeves to reveal the identical tattoos that Aang had, brushing back her bangs to reveal the arrow, "My ENTIRE nation was slaughtered because I am NOT the Baroness….I am the Chalice…soul mate to the Avatar….and Guardian of Man."

"The Chalice?" Jet looked bewildered, "The soul mate of the Avatar and Guardian of Man?"

Ava's eyes began to light up, "I chose to be in this world, to protect innocents such as yourself from being corrupted with the help of my Avatar. I have failed you and for that I am truly sorry. Instead of promoting peace, unity, and prosperity, I brought war, death, and vengeance. The girl you saw that day was no hero…I would have sacrificed your life if it meant a thousand Fire Nation soldiers."

Jet couldn't believe what he was hearing. The woman he had grown up admiring, the champion against the Fire Nation was a cold blooded killer. About that time Pipsqueak grabbed Ava from behind and Smellerbee used a wooden log to knock her out. Ava lay unconscious on the ground as Sokka ran to her aid. "Put them in the Fire Nation traps", Jet growled as he stalked off, trying to think of a lie to tell Katara and Aang.

* * *

><p>"Where are Ava and Sokka?" Katara asked when Jet returned.<p>

"They were captured by the Fire Nation. I wasn't able to save them before they were dragged away. We were ambushed", he threw a dagger into the table in front of him, "They tried to kill me with this, by disguising an assassin as an old man traveling."

Aang looked at the dagger and saw the vial that Jet pulled out of it. "They were going to poison me."

Something wasn't right. He would have known if Ava was in trouble by their connection, he had felt something…but it vanished almost as soon as he felt it. He was starting to see what Ava had been trying to warn him of all along. He simply nodded his head and walked away.

"Aang! Where are you going?" Katara chased after him with Jet hot on her trail.

"To look for Ava. I'm not losing her to the Fire Nation again", he growled as he made his way to Appa.

"Maybe we should wait until morning when we can pick up a trail?" Jet hinted, he needed to keep the Avatar from finding the Chalice. He needed to use them just a bit more to complete his plan and then…

"You don't understand. She's my wife. I can't simply stand by and imagine all the horrible things that may be happening to her", Aang's eyes began to glow as he rushed to the sky with his flying bison.

"Great…", Jet mumbled to himself.

"What's wrong?" Katara turned to him and was surprised to be engulfed into his embrace. He smelled of wood and musk, a scent that she could get used to.

"I really needed Aang to help you with your mission tomorrow. It will help get your brother and Ava back", he nuzzled into her neck. The warm breathe would make her melt and he knew it.

"I can still help you, it might take longer without two waterbenders but surely there is still something I could do for you", the water tribe girl stated. She wanted to help Jet in any way possible.

"Thank you, Katara."

* * *

><p>"Ava!" Sokka called out to the cage beside his in the trees, "Ava!" The sun was rising and there had been no movement from the Chalice since she had been struck in the head. The Freedom Fighters didn't care to check her to make sure she was okay. Sokka shook the thoughts of hanging out by a dead body from his head. She had to be okay, after everything this couldn't be the way for her to die. Aang would be devastated!<p>

"AVA!" he was glad to see a twitch that time.

"Why do you have to yell? I just got sucker punched in the head and you really think it's necessary to FUCKING yell?" Ava growled back as she sat up.

"Technically you were sawed by a log!" Sokka started laughing hysterically and wiping a tear from his eye.

"Seriously?" the Chalice rolled her eyes, "You need better jokes."

"Well excuse me for trying to lighten up the mood, miss Bloody Baroness", the water tribe boy instantly regretted his remark when he saw the hurt in Ava's eyes.

"There was a time when I was more than happy to be called that…but if you consider yourself my friend as I already do, please refrain from calling me that", she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Ava", Sokka sincerely apologized. "You know…I always thought we would get to know each other better on a fishing trip….do you fish?"

"Ha…you know I really could see us doing that…we will definitely have to go on a fishing trip when this is over", Ava smiled, happy that her friend had changed the subject, "But seriously…how are we going to get out of this one?"

"I don't know", the Chalice sat back against the cage defeated.

"Why not use that cool mind trick, you know, the one that helps you communicate with Aang?" Sokka began to panic when he noticed hers.

"I tried, but I can't reach him…I think they may have blocked that when they hit me in the head", she rubbed the spot that was still sore and could feel the knot there, "I'm hoping it's just a temporary glitch until my head heals."

"Right…", Sokka put his head between his knees and encased it with his hands, "I'll think of how to get us out of this one."

* * *

><p>"So why do you need the waterbending?" Katara asked.<p>

"The Fire Nation plans on burning down our forest and I need you to put enough water in the reservoir to ensure that we could fight the flames off", he smiled as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "In the meantime I am going to look for your brother and Ava."

"Where do I meet up with you when I'm done?" the water tribe girl asked. Sokka, Ava, and Aang were all missing. Jet was the only familiar person to her and she wanted to be by his side, not to mention he was incredibly charming and helpful. 'You didn't trust him, Ava, and now he's going to rescue you and Sokka.'

"Meet me back at the hideout…I'm going to check on the reservoir before I head up the search party", he instructed before he left.

Aang arrived shortly after Katara started on her work. He decided to help, because honestly the story of the Fire Nation trying to burn down the forest was convincing. He was letting Katara know that something was fishy about Ava's disappearance.

"She would have tried to contact me by now", Aang sadly stated.

"Maybe they have done something to her to keep her from doing it", Katara didn't want to admit it, but that is exactly how it sounded.

"That doesn't make me feel any better.." the Avatar growled as he looked at their work, "I think that's enough."

"Let's go meet Jet at the reservoir. He said he was stopping by there before he took off to find Ava and Sokka", the water tribe girl smiled as she and Aang walked there.

Once they arrived they were surprised to see the Freedom Fighters unloading the barrels of blasting jelly in front of the reservoir. Realization hit Aang like someone dropping Appa on his head. "They are going to blow up the dam!"

"Jet wouldn't do that! That would destroy the town nearby. He just…Jet wouldn't do that!" Katara kept repeating in disbelief. Ava had been right.

Aang readied his glider and was about to take off towards the reservoir to stop this madness when it was taken away from him by none other than Jet.

"Yes I would Katara, if it means getting rid of Fire Nation, I would do anything to reach that goal", Jet stood up and reached for her, "I was hoping you would understand me better than they did."

"What do you mean they?" Katara started to back away and noticed that Aang's Avatar state was threatening to come to the surface.

"You would think that the Bloody Baroness would condone what I was doing…that she would have thought it grand instead of horrible….", Jet acted as if…as though…

"NO!" Katara used her water to blast him away from her and turned to the Avatar to speak some sense into him, "He has to be lying…we'll find them…we have to save the town first!"

"Dammit!" Aang cursed as he reached for his glider to go to the town, but was quickly stopped by Jet's swords.

"I think not!" a feminine voice resonated in the meadow as a sword came clashing down on Jet's. Ava stood defiantly with a crazed look in her eye.

"Get out of my way!" Jet shouted as he continued his attacks on Ava, getting more and more enraged with each defensive measure she took. She kicked him in the chest to get him away and chased after him when he went after her Avatar. They maneuvered through the trees as if they had been dancing in them all their lives. Aang was trying to keep Jet away from him with his airbending. He did not wish to fight, but he had to end this soon, or Ava would break her promise…

They were getting closer to the ground when Jet picked up the pace and pushed Aang as he lept from a tree, causing him to hit it hard enough to daze him. When he landed on the ground he was sure that his Chalice would kill the boy as she raced towards him with her eyes glowing from above until he noticed that Jet was being tossed around by some waterbending moves. Katara was fighting to save her friends. She froze him to the tree.

Ava reached her Avatar and helped him up, noticing that he was now taller than her and about the same height as Jet. She shook her head thinking this less important than his actual well-being.

"Ava", Aang embraced his Chalice fiercely, swearing in her ear to NEVER let her out of his sight again, "Why did you not call to me?"

"I tried, but…when they ambushed me, they hit me pretty hard in the head…I'm hoping it is temporary", she whispered as tears began to form in her eyes. She had this amazing ability to invade his mind and he had it with hers but if it was lost….it was a strong connection that she cherished.

"They hit you….in the head?" Aang's voice became serious as he checked over her scalp and found the knot. There was silence. When Ava looked up, her Avatar's eyes were glowing. He began to lift into the air…and his intent was on Jet. Ava rushed to stand in front of the boy, interrupting his conversation with Katara.

"Aang, you can't do this!" she called to him, "As much pleasure as I would take in killing him myself, we CANNOT do this!"

Aang directed his stare at Jet. "You harmed my wife."

"Wife?" Jet was stunned. He had seen young couples before but this had to be the youngest couple he had seen. Ava couldn't be more than Katara's age and Aang had to be at least Sokka's, judging by his height.

"My Avatar, please", Ava's eyes began to glow as well as she pleaded with her other half, "You said we needed to show compassion."

Aang's eyes began to return to normal as he began to touch the ground from his hovering stance. Ava sighed in relief and turned to Jet, who had continued his argument with Katara.

"I trusted you. You lied to me and I trusted you. I even accused my friends and my brother of wanting me to be miserable and not trust you….I should have listened", she looked to Ava.

There was a whistle…the signal…and Jet answered back…Aang started to use his glider but it had been damaged and he fell hard onto the cliff he was trying to jump off of.

"Aang!" Ava called to him as she rushed to his side.

"We're too late!" Katara called as she looked out on the horrific scene before them.

"Maybe not, Sokka went to the village and I made my way here. You're lackeys are not honorable soldiers. My men would not have discussed any of my plans with our enemies, nor would they have been so stupid to fall for our trick", Ava stated matter-of-factly.

The dam broke and water flooded the village. No one could have survived the immense power and pressure of the built up water. Aang held his head low knowing that he had helped in this plan even after Ava had warned him. Katara began to cry and started yelling at Jet again, until Sokka appeared on Appa with Momo on his shoulder.

"Sokka!" the trio called out to the boy in happy unison.

"Don't worry. I got the villagers out safely. They didn't believe me at first until the old man that you harassed the other day said that I could be trusted. He said that me and the Baron…that Ava had saved his life. The village wanted me to let you know, Ava, they still think very highly of you and they are glad to know that they still have a champion in you", Sokka smiled at his friend, hoping that last bit of news would set her at ease a bit.

"Sokka! You idiot! You traitor! Baroness, how could you!" Jet stared at them, "Katara please help me!"

"No, Jet you became the traitor, when you stopped protecting innocent people", Sokka countered. Katara said her goodbyes, but Ava….she walked up to him.

"You are at a point in your vengeance where no one and nothing can stand in your way, but in the end…who will stand with you when you have destroyed everything and everyone? I killed a man's only son….I lived with him and the rest of his family for years, knowing what I had done to him. This man made sure I was comfortable, he made sure I was clothed, fed, and clean. He kept me company and helped me gain my sanity back. This man forgave me and he was General Iroh of the Fire Nation. So you see…you're greatest allies may be the people you fear the most", she said with sad eyes, "I'm glad that the 'Baroness' is gone and someday you will see…revenge is bittersweet because in the end…it begets nothing."

"You don't know what you are talking about!" Jet seethed as he tried to wiggle free from his ice prison.

"You say that now…but I have walked this earth for one hundred fourteen years. I think I may know something of life and death", Ava saluted the young boy goodbye and hopped onto Appa, never looking back and reveling in the feel of her Avatar's arms around her.

* * *

><p>"How did you guys escape those traps?" Katara asked after hearing the pair's tale of captivity.<p>

"Well Sokka said we had to play dead like a possum-monkey. It actually worked. They started freaking out thinking that they had killed me and they had no idea what happened to Sokka so they pulled us down. As soon as the cages were set down we ran for it", Ava laughed.

"Yeah and we headed straight for some more traps that we figured they didn't know about yet and boom! They were trapped, just like possum-monkeys", Sokka smiled proudly causing the group to laugh. They were all happy to be together again.


	15. Adaptation

**Return to Me**

**Adaptation**

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT. I understand some of my readers have a thing about Aang and Ava being so young, but if you don't agree with this chapter then I suggest you wait until I publish another. I know they were physically too young to consider sexual situations but you have to remember that both are technically well over a hundred years old (that's why some emotions are angsty) and I already gave the warning in my summary for the story that this was more mature than the series.**

* * *

><p>"<em>Ah my Chalice has decided to visit me!" Koh wrapped himself around Ava tightly, letting her feel how much he had truly missed her.<em>

"_Koh, I need your help", Ava snuggled into her guardian._

"_You don't understand why your Avatar is growing at a rapid pace?" the centipede laughed, "Have you not noticed changes in yourself as well?"_

"_What do you mean I am the same…", the Chalice looked down at herself and realized that she had not taken the time to notice changes going on with her as well. She was a bit more…well…her chest was definitely bigger than she remembered. Her hips seemed curvy compared to…well she had never really paid attention to that before, "Stop with the riddles… I know you know what is going on!"_

"_Well the bodies of adolescence are not going to bear a child now, are they?" Koh hinted, causing Ava to blush._

"_What do you mean?" Ava tried to ignore the obvious, "The Spirits have no say in the Avatar and Chalice relationship….we stay out of the Moon and Water's…"_

"_I thought you would have considered it a gift…", the centipede retracted from her, realizing that perhaps his "touch" was too soon._

"_You did it! What authority do you have, Koh?" the Chalice shouted at the centipede who was now trying to control his temper. _

"_You have been trapped in a little girl's body for almost one hundred years. You're Avatar still looked like a child. I thought if I progressed the two of you along, then you could have your way with him without feeling like a…" he was interrupted by a steaming Ava._

"_A cradle robber? Really, Koh? Must you invade my thoughts when I am in the outside world…let me guess you blocked my ability to communicate with the Avatar in that way? Does your jealousy know no bounds?" She huffed as she went for the exit._

"_You'll be thanking me soon! Besides…I didn't ruin your link…those petty children you fought did that…they hit the right spot in your chakra…and unless you find a master that can help you fix it or rechannel it in some way, I'm afraid you can no longer be connected to your Avatar in that manner…", Koh put the face of a smiling man on and crept back into his dark, seclusion._

* * *

><p>Ava shot straight up from her dream, causing her Avatar to wake up in alarm. She was clutching her chest and realized that, at least that part of the dream was true, and began to look at the rest of her body, leading up to her physically getting up and twirling around to see the differences.<p>

"Is there something wrong?" Aang whispered trying not to wake the others.

"Do you notice anything different about me?" Ava crouched back down in front of her soul mate, almost blushing when she realized he was almost drooling.

"So I guess I'm not the only one going through changes", He grinned trying to hide the lust in his voice.

"I just had a vision from Koh. Apparently he's responsible for this", She growled gesturing to the both of them.

"Well if I ever meet this Koh, I will have to thank him personally", Aang whispered as he leaned in and kissed Ava.

"Why would you thank him for meddling in our affairs? You haven't met him in this life yet, but you did try to kill him at one point as a different man. You don't remember?" Ava was surprised. Aang was always better at connecting with past lives than she was.

"Oh I remember that, but…that was so long ago. I barely remember him…all I remember was that I had broken your heart and in the process lost the 'other woman' to him for doing so. I was in a lose-lose situation and the whole time all I could think about was how I had wronged you", the Avatar hung his head. Even in this lifetime he did not want to cause that type of pain for her again.

"Can we please not talk about that?" Ava sighed as she began looking for her staff. She needed to fly and she knew her Avatar would oblige to go with her.

They took to the sky and began their eternal dance as they had before on that night that felt so long ago. There was even one point where Ava set her glider down and opted to fly with Aang on his. He had his back on the top of his glider and was using his airbending coupled with hers to keep them up as she laid between his legs, snuggling her upper body into his chest. "I've been thinking...", Aang interrupted the silence between them.

"About what?" Ava looked up from her position on his chest into his face.

"We should find someone who will actually marry us…", he smiled but began to panic when he did not receive the reaction that he was hoping for from his Chalice.

"I think we should wait until after all of this is over, after you defeat Ozai. A wedding is a huge thing….you need time to plan…and even now the thought is stressing…", Ava mumbled.

"I'm not talking about having a lavish wedding. I was talking about just a little ceremony with Sokka and Katara as witnesses. Just the four of us…", the Avatar was hoping he could change her mind but wasn't surprised when he could not.

"I WANT the lavish wedding though. After everything you put me through, I am going to put you in debt for the rest of your life with the wedding I want to have…", a devilish grin crossed her face.

"Anything you want, my love. It's yours", he smiled as he decided to go ahead and land his glider in the field where they had placed hers. Aang stayed on his back for a few minutes trying to decide whether he wanted to make this "the night" or not.

"What's going on in that mind of yours?" Ava pouted as she looked into his eyes. She hated not having their connection anymore and felt as though someone had almost severed a limb. She knew she should have never taken it for granted.

Aang smiled as he leaned up for a kiss, surprised by the finger that met them. He quirked an eyebrow as he noticed Ava's matter-of-fact smile. "So I take it that I am no longer allowed to touch you or anything?"

"I am yours in every which way. I'm not afraid or appalled if that is what you fear", his Chalice whispered into his ear, "But do you think this is right?"

"I am with the woman I love, what could be more right?" the Avatar laughed at the notion of what he wanted to do with her and her body in that moment was anything but destined.

"And what of your duties as Avatar? Out of all of our lives never have we coupled so young…", Ava hinted.

"Young? Did you forget, my love, we are both well over a hundred years old", Aang began to stroke her cheeks with his hands, occasionally running his fingers through her hair in the process.

"But our bodies are so much younger than our souls…they always have been, but we are still considered children", she closed her eyes and lay down against his chest. She loved the feeling of muscles in the familiar flesh that was beneath her. Absentmindedly she began running her finger tips across his chest and arms.

"I always loved when you would do that", he whispered, trying to control the urge to moan. He opted for being on top.

"What are you doing?" Ava asked in alarm. She was not used to her sweet tempered Avatar being so sexually aggressive or wanting, but then again….. 'Koh, you're a dead spirit', she muttered in the back of her mind.

"What I have wanted to do since I found you. I have been as chivalrous as possible until this point….Please….let us be one in EVERY way", Aang rubbed up against Ava's abdomen, causing a gasp, "Seems you're game."

"My body is betraying me a bit, yes….but WE are NOT ready for this….I mean what if….", she was trying to find the words but it was hard with his kissing and ….was that his tongue on her ear? Oh Kami!

"I would love our child with every ounce in me, but I swear that there will be no child made tonight", Aang almost growled, "I simply want to taste you, not have ALL of you, not until I have made this world safe for any family we plan on starting."

"T..t..taste me?" the Chalice stuttered as her innocent young boy was quickly becoming a lecherous man right before her eyes. She wasn't sure whether she was approving, disturbed, or completely confused.

Nervous fingers began tracing her robes, ghosting over certain parts of her anatomy and disregarding boundaries at others. Ava couldn't help but moan at the touches. How many nights had she dreamed of this? Angry that she thought she would never know the physical feelings of love due to the way her body appeared. Her Avatar was here, pleading with her to please her, and who was she really to deny her soul mate what he wanted?

"If you get uncomfortable, I swear I will stop", he hinted with hesitancy in his voice.

"I don't think you will have any problems with me on that note, but you are already shaking….you're making me even more nervous… I have…", she began making gestures to her stomach.

"Butterflies", Aang sighed, "Me too."

Aang began planting butterfly kisses from her forehead down to her collar bone. His eyes asking permission to remove her top robe and truly surprised when she nodded "yes". Shaking fingers were having a hard time untying the familiar knots. Ava began to breathe heavier and grabbed his hands, looking into his eyes….was it fear?

"We can stop this", Aang began to climb off of her when she knocked him back on his back and straddled his hip.

"I don't want to stop…but you do understand that this will be slow going? I mean this is my first time…although I admit I have imagined this moment so many times in my head", her voice almost faltering as she began to undo her top robes. A pair of perky olive toned breasts was free to her Avatar's eyes. She began blushing under his gaze and began to cover herself when his hands stopped her.

"You're beautiful…even more so with nothing covering you", he smiled as he again took the lead and laid her gently on her back again. He began kissing her again, first on her lips with passion and sincerity, and made a trail back down to her collarbone. Ava's breathe hitched in her throat as his lips slowly grazed a trail to a VERY sensitive spot between her breasts. Kissing the valley and nipping at it a little, Aang kept looking up at his lover's face, pleased with the fact that her eyes were shut tight and she was biting her lip.

Aang placed both hands on either peak, chuckling to himself inwardly as he felt her nipples harden, which caused his member to do the same. Instinct told him to take each nipple into his mouth. Swirling his tongue around each bud causing Ava to moan out loud and finally release the breathe that had still, until that point, been on hold. The warmth, the wetness was enough to send her over the edge at that very moment. Her fingers rubbing his bald head and finally taking his face into her hands and pulling him to her, bruising both their lips in the process as she again assumed top position. She could feel his erection through the bottom portion of her robes and through her bindings in her female nether regions. She could feel herself becoming wet…she knew what this meant. Her body was encouraging her to continue further and before she realized her hands were frantically trying to pull his robes off.

Ava's fingers seemed to generate their own heat as they began to rub all over his chest. She could not believe a few days ago his chest was that of any ordinary boy, but now…there was muscle and power here…She hadn't even noticed that he had nice ab tone. 'Maybe you're not so dead, Koh.'

"We can stop…I don't want to, but if you are not sure about this then we can wait…", the Avatar's eyes were flashing back and forth between his smoky grey and the Avatar state.

"Promise me, that you will not leave me…This will be a binding of us COMPLETELY and I don't think I could handle if you walked away….Promise this will not make things awkward with us…", Ava was almost in tears for fear that she would not be able to satisfy her Avatar.

"I swear on every life that I have spent with you, that I will never turn my back on you and I will never leave you alone again…You are my soul mate, my wife, and NO ONE compares to you…ever…", Aang pulled her into a passionate kiss as he lifted her closer to him with both of his hands underneath her butt. He began to massage her hips as he looked into her eyes, trying to reassure her and control his heart beat at the same time.

"I can feel your heart from here", Ava whispered as she began to massage his chest.

"I'm sorry….I shouldn't be this nervous…we've done this so many times before…and it feels right…" he felt breathless.

"Then let us just do what feels right…", his Chalice smiled as she leaned in and began to suckle his ear, causing him to quit breathing all together. His hands began wandering all over her bare back, sending shivers up her spine. She began kissing down his neck to his chest and kept kissing while moving her body further down. Her shaking hands began to untie his lower robes and her eyes widened when she got them off his legs to reveal his bindings. His erection was very evident. She looked at him and saw that he was looking at her anxiously. Slowly and deliberately she pulled his bindings loose and revealed his member. He hissed as she grazed her fingers over it as she finished her work with the cloth that hid him from her. He quickly shot up and his hands quickly grabbed her sides, right beneath her breasts.

"I'm sorry...", she muttered as she began to get off of him but his vice like grip would not let her move. His eyes finally glazed over with lust and he gently rolled them so that he was on top of her. Her eyes matched as she arched up against his member. He untied her lower robes and began to kiss the inside of her thighs as well as her hips, massaging both as he continued kissing, licking, and nipping.

"Oh gods…", she whispered in a raspy voice. She was breathing so hard by that point that her throat felt very dry as well as her mouth.

"I shall have you…in every way that I remember….", his voice was filled with lust as he quickly went to work on her vagina. His fingers parted her lower lips and his tongue entered her. He would moan occasionally on her clit, causing her to arch even more into his mouth. When she finally came, she could not help but call his name. She lay there breathless until she felt something hard being rubbed against her entrance.

Aang looked down on her and realized she was staring at him. He started to pull away thinking that they had not completely agreed to completely couple and honestly giving her oral satisfaction was enough for him but he wanted so much more…

"Be gentle…", she said in a shaky voice. Both had forgotten that she was still a virgin in this body.

"I swear it", he assured her as he put his forehead against hers before he went back to work. He could not believe how this seemed to come naturally but his experience in his previous lives was coming in handy.

"I know this ruins the moment…but on three….", Ava hinted shyly.

"Whatever it takes to make you comfortable my love and honestly nothing could turn me off from you. You're gorgeous", he whispered. Mentally they looked at each other and did the count down and on three he pushed his member into her, kissing her lips to hold in her scream of pain. He settled for a moment and waited until she gave some kind of signal for him to proceed. Her entrance was so tight he thought he was going to go into Nirvana right there, but he held on. He wanted to make this moment last.

He knew she was ready when she bucked her hips up and had her signature devilish grin on her face when she was up to no good. He began slowly at first, still allowing for her to adjust to him. The speed was honestly killing him and he was soon informed that it was not good enough for her either. They began thrusting into each other faster, smoother, and eventually fell into a rhythm. Occasionally he would bury his face into her shoulder and her nails were digging into his back with no mercy. He smiled at the thought of having to make sure not to go shirtless around the Water Tribe siblings anytime soon. Both were feeling a warmth pool in their lower abdomens and soon they both were shouting each other's names as their eyes began to glow as they fell into the Avatar and Chalice state. Both breathless snuggled into each other.

"That was…", Aang began.

"Amazing…that's the only word I can come up with", Ava laughed as she was still trying to catch her breath, "There was so much more I wanted to do to please you though…"

"Wow…not even an hour ago you were trying to convince me that we needed to wait and now you're thinking of more dirty things to do to me?" Aang huffed.

"They weren't dirty….I don't think…considering what your definition of dirty is…", the Chalice giggled as she held him closer to her.

"Anything sexual to either of us is dirty…we were raised to basically only procreate to create more Airbenders, remember?" Aang scoffed.

"I never agreed with it", Ava admitted.

"Neither did I", the Avatar agreed, "That's part of the reason why I left, I was afraid they would separate us for so long we would fall out of sync."

"We always reconnect….well except that one time…but even still…we have always found a way back to each other", the Chalice smiled.

"We should probably get dressed and head back to camp before Sokka and Katara come looking for us", he suggested.

"I hope you know that in my eyes, this makes us married in our own way", she hinted.

"I was already calling you my wife…but I agree…and when we complete this mission, I swear we will have the largest wedding we have had in all of our weddings combined", Aang smiled as he kissed her forehead while they continued to get dressed.


	16. The Great Divide

**The Great Divide**

**Return to Me**

Ava snuggled into the warmth provided by her lover. She was in bliss at the feelings of his arms being tangled around her in an embrace. Movement was a bit tricky considering what they had done the night before. It was then everything hit her. They had made love. She and her Avatar had actually made love the night before.

Slowly, so as not to wake Aang, she sat up with a smirk on her face. Her body was sore that was definitely certain, but she didn't care. The Chalice had finally done what she had wanted to do for some time now. She smiled down at Aang's still sleeping form. Her hands brushed her lips that still felt somewhat like jelly from all of the kissing they were doing. The passion behind his lips had literally numbed hers and she still could barely feel the slight graze of her middle and ring fingers on them. Ava brushed her long hair back that had fallen out of its tight braid from all of the "movement" that they were doing, especially when he was hovering above her. A blush crept across her face as she hugged herself and put her chin on her left shoulder, facing the peeking sun, inhaling the scent Aang had left on her skin.

For the first time in a long time, Ava felt completely surreal. She wanted to pinch herself because she knew that what happened last night could not have been real. It was a fantasy that she used to have quite often when she first hit puberty. She jumped slightly when she felt arms tugging her into someone's lap. Her chin began to rub against the strength of her Avatar's arms absentmindedly. "Good morning", she whispered.

"Good morning", he cooed into her ear, both surprised by the deepening of his voice. They simply smiled at each other and returned to watching the sun rise from its sleeping place. "I'm sorry if I hurt you last night…"

"Don't be. The soreness that my muscles are feeling right now is more than worth it", Ava grinned as Aang placed his head upon hers.

"You are going to be the death of me, woman you now that?" he laughed.

"CAN'T A GUY GET SOME SLEEP AROUND HERE?" the romance was interrupted by Sokka's growl.

"Sorry, Sokka", Ava apologized and began to get up. She was going to go bathe. Aang began to follow her until the nosey water tribe boy asked if it was really appropriate. The Avatar began to get a bit annoyed when Sokka's jaw practically hit the ground.

"Since when are you as tall as I am?" the young man whimpered, "There's just something not right here…"

"I believe you call it magic, my darling brother", Katara laughed as she finished rolling up her sleeping bag and putting it in Appa's saddle.

"Stupid magic, waterbending…airbending…WHEN DOES THE MADNESS END?" he grumbled as he began to walk away to find the little warrior's bathroom.

"Well I like it", Ava stated as she joined Katara in their search to find the perfect bathing spot.

After everyone was ready to load up onto Appa, the couple began getting the interrogation of their lives from the siblings.

"What do you mean you just woke up like that?" Sokka scoffed as he leaned back.

"Don't mind Sokka, he's just mad because he isn't the tallest in the group anymore, so he's not the leader", his sister teased, "Isn't that what you explained to the boys at home?"

Sokka glared at his sister and was about to make a remark when Ava interrupted.

"My guardian is making the changes and as you two well know, Spirits can make changes in the world, some for the better", she smiled sweetly at Aang.

"Who's your guardian?" Katara was interested. She used to love the stories that her grandmother would tell her while they were growing up.

"He's an ancient spirit named Koh. He's not exactly the friendliest spirit and not a big fan of the human race or any living thing for that matter…", Ava stated matter-of-factly, "Beware lest you fall into his lair."

"Why what would happen?" Sokka quickly became interested.

"If you show any emotion to the face of my guardian he shall steal yours. He is called the 'Face Stealer' and he has many faces. Some human, some animal, and some are simply masks", the Chalice had to stifle a laugh at the siblings' reactions.

"It's true. He killed my wife in a past life by stealing her face", Aang backed his Chalice's story, "Any spirit, man, or animal knows you don't mess with Koh."

"But if he's your guardian then why would he kill you?" Katara was confused.

"No, I was not Aang's wife in that life. He had chosen another and I was so heartbroken I died from my grief. My guardian was not pleased with the Avatar for his actions and punished him. It's kind of a touchy subject…", Ava made the last comment quite clear.

Katara nodded her head, respecting the elder girl's wishes to leave that bit of information as it was: history. Katara went to get some kindling for a camp fire and Sokka was in charge of getting the tent up. Aang and Ava were in charge of getting food.

"Do you think they know?" Aang questioned.

"Well if they don't I'd rather they not… that was our moment and something very personal between us. It needs to stay between us", Ava hinted as she handed her lover more berries and nuts.

"I wouldn't tell them, but I can't help but smile at the thoughts that keep crossing my mind for the next time I have you to myself again", the Avatar grinned.

Ava began to blush as she slapped his arm and began to walk away. She had been thinking the same thoughts and was surprised that Katara hadn't noticed her staring at Aang more than usual. She sighed to herself as they began to pack everything and load Appa.

It seemed like they had been flying for hours before they finally stopped at the Great Divide. It was the world's largest canyon. Once they walked around for a while to get the feeling of their legs again, they began to divvy out chores. Sokka was put in charge of putting up the tents, Katara and Ava were in charge of finding wood for the fire, and Aang was in charge of gathering some food up. Unfortunately the siblings began to get into a fight about how Sokka put up the tent and how Katara found the worst kind of wood compared to Ava's for fire….things were beginning to get out of order until Aang showed up and made it clear that there WOULD be compromises or NO ONE would be happy.

"I just don't understand. It's wood and a tent!" he growled as he walked away after putting the siblings in check.

"Aang, we don't know the downside to having siblings just as we do not know the upside. I understand the two of them can be trying sometimes", she rolled her eyes, "But be patient with them. They did not have our upbringing."

"I honestly think I would lose my mind with those two if you weren't around…", Aang smiled as he grasped her hand for a moment before walking over to the canyon edge.

"It's more beautiful than the first time that I came here", Ava whispered as she looked over the great expanse of the scarred land.

"You've been here before?" Katara was in awe. Up until lately she had not seen anything but her beloved Southern home.

"A few times…with my army on our way home from the Earth Kingdom capital. Buhmi was so happy to see me that he waited here three whole days…", she stopped talking when she noticed her Avatar getting upset, "But of course it wasn't the greatest homecoming."

"Weren't you happy to be halfway home?" Sokka inquired.

"I would have been except I knew that I had come home with half the men who followed me and when I returned I was going to have to explain myself. I was told to not act on my vengeance more than once by the King of Omashu…and I ignored him of course…", Ava began to get quiet, "I never deserved the men who followed me blindly into battle and I took them for granted."

"That was a long time ago…I'm sure you have been forgiven by those families", Aang rested his hand on her shoulder as their group continued to look out over the landscape.

"I've seen enough", Sokka mumbled and began to walk away, but not without his sister chastising him for not appreciating the beauty nor the sentimental value the landmark had on their companion.

"I mean no disrespect towards Ava and I'm sorry if it comes across that way but…I just don't see it", he shrugged his shoulders and continued back towards Appa and Momo. Just then a young man appeared from nowhere screaming about how he and his tribe were going to use the tour guide to get across and he had been waiting there longer than him. Before Aang could explain that they were not waiting on the tour guide, the man then spoke about how the Fire Nation had taken over their home and they were forced to flee. Just then Katara noticed a group of people headed their way. She asked if the man belonged to that tribe and instantly regretted the question. He began speaking badly about the people approaching, stating that the "Zhangs" were nothing but common thieves.

Ava huffed at the statement. "Really they are common thieves?"

"What would you know of them?" the young man bit back.

"I know what tribe you are from…and your people were less than hospitable to me when I came across your village. I had fought off three battalions of Fire Nation soldiers to protect your home…and your tribe turned me and my men away because we were considered 'unclean' due to the dirt, blood, and sweat that covered our bodies…." Her eyes narrowed, "The Zhang were more than willing to take me and my men in and allow us to eat and bathe"

"Who are you?" the young man demanded.

"Someone you need not concern yourself with I assure you. Your tribe never cared much for me and my ways even though I kept the Fire Nation at bay for years from your village", Ava snapped as she began to walk to the Zhang. Surely one of the elders was young enough then to remember her now.

"You really turned away the Chalice in her time of need?" Sokka asked.

"The Chalice?" the young man was confused.

"Obviously the ancient ways have been lost to you and your kin", Aang shook his head as he followed his lover.

"Who among you remember the Bloody Baroness?" Ava shouted to the tribe as she reached them.

"The Bloody Baroness?" "It's the Bloody Baroness!" the entire tribe began to call out and meet up with Ava. An elderly man helped by a woman who wore pigtails atop her head came forward.

"I recall the Bloody Baroness. But we never called you that my lady. Your deeds were far greater than that horrid name the Fire Nation gave you. You saved my village more than once when they tried to take over and it wasn't until recently that they were successful. You still have avid legions, waiting for your return. They called you the Queen of Hope", he smiled as he reached for Ava's hand, "And my dear, you have not aged a day since I saw you when I was three years old."

"You remember me from that long ago?" Ava smiled as she brushed the old man's cheek.

"My grandfather has told tales of you ever since I can remember", the woman who had helped him to the front smiled.

"The Zhang helped me in my greatest need anytime I called upon them. I am forever grateful to your tribe", the Chalice was glad to know the line of the Zhang tribe still endured. So many tribes were wiped out when the Fire Nation took over. At least one close to her heart remained. There was still hope.

"I've saved a spot for my tribe so don't even think about STEALING it", the young man they had met before interrupted.

"Where are the Gan Jin?" the woman with the pigtails growled, "Still tidying up their campsite?"

"To think that the Gan Jin have survived this long with their strange quirks", Ava teased.

"They sent me ahead of them to save a spot with the tour guide!" the young man shouted back at them.

"I didn't know that the tour guide took reservations", the Zhang woman protested.

"Well I wouldn't expect a messy Zhang to know this", the young man hissed.

"I have traveled up and down this canyon for well over a hundred years and not one tour guide who has been in charge has ever taken reservations…", Ava quirked an eyebrow at the young man, "Do you really think you're that smart, boy?"

"Who are you to think you can speak to me in such a manner?" the man bit back.

"Who are YOU to think that you can speak to my WIFE in such a manner?" Aang was getting annoyed with the arrogance of this man, but when he began talking to Ava the way he did….it wasn't going to end well.

About that time, a pile of stones began to move and were thrown to the side. An elderly man stood in its spot. He was wearing a hat that was big enough to shade his face. His clothes were covered in dirt and even from a distance his hands looked rough, like someone who was an earthbender. "Welcome to the Great Divide! Sorry about the wait…now who's ready to cross this canyon?"

"One of them I think", Katara pointed over to the tribe and the young man. The Gan Jin man instantly spoke up and notified the tour guide that he had been waiting and he and his party were to cross first. The Avatar group had to contain their laughter when the tour guide explained that he couldn't lead a group of people if they were not physically there to lead. The Zhang woman made a snide comment as her tribe began to walk towards the entrance to the canyon when the young man shouted that his tribe had arrived. They were led by an older man. It wasn't long before the Zhang woman and the Gan Jin man were at each other's throats.

"Well lover, are you going to assume your role as Avatar?" Ava inquired as the groups began spouting hideous remarks back and forth.

"It is your job", Katara hinted as she began to cover her ears to shield them from the madness.

"Making sure the chores get done is one thing, but these people…they have been feuding for over a hundred years, at least according to that guy earlier", Aang began to scratch his head.

"Everyone listen up!" Katara shouted, "This is the Avatar and I'm sure if you give him a chance, he will come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy."

"No pressure, love", Ava whispered sarcastically as she and the Avatar both stared at the young Water Tribe girl in disbelief. Both tribes began to look their way.

"If he can't come up with something I am sure his girlfriend, er…wife…whatever, the Chalice can", Sokka decided to add earning a glare from everyone in his party.

The couple looked at one another and smiled sheepishly as they looked into the inquiring eyes of both tribes. The Gan Jin seemed hesitant whereas the Zhang were looking solely at Ava. They began arguing again over the needs of the Zhang's sick and the Gan Jin's elderly. Aang finally had enough and ended the argument stating that his sky bison would fly the sick and elderly across while the others simply had to endure each other's company. Both parties hated the idea but looking at the sick and elderly they had no choice.

"Hey little brother, sorry we can't join you for this, but you'll be fine", Ava smiled as she hugged Appa to her. The bison rubbed his head against hers and looked to his owner. "Sorry buddy, but you're on your own. I envy you honestly", Aang rubbed the bison's head and sent him on his way.

"Little brother?" Katara questioned.

"That's my nickname for Appa, always has been. I never chose a sky bison although every airbender was given one when they were younger. The sky bison were chosen when they were small as well so that the bond became greater over time. They didn't let me choose, citing that I already had a sky bison…Appa. I was nervous at first but Appa treated as if I was Aang, which is rare for a sky bison. They are only tame around their masters and it's one sky bison for one airbender their whole lives. When I came to the Southern Air Temple, Aang and Appa both welcomed me with open arms. When Aang was training I was with Appa lounging around and cuddling with him. He's a great cuddle buddy by the way…", Ava laughed.

"Appa means just as much to you as he does to Aang", Katara concluded.

"He's like my little brother, always comforting, always understanding and finds no faults with me, although we have had our spats here and there like siblings. I will always be there for Appa and he will always be there for me", the Chalice whispered as she watched her beloved sky bison fly away.

"He'll be fine", Aang reassured her.

"I know, but just like you I hate to be parted from him for too long", she rested her head on his shoulder for a moment before they began to lead the two tribes down into the canyon with the tour guide.

"Alright only one rule in the canyon….NO AND I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD IN THE CANYON. It attracts dangerous wildlife that live within the canyon, so either food in your gut or in the garbage from here on out", the tour guide shouted. Both tribes began to complain.

"You might use your bending to life me up so that I may make a point with them?" Ava sweetly smiled, she was not surprised when she felt the earth move beneath her.

"LISTEN UP! I have travelled this canyon more than once and I have seen the carnage of what happens when someone takes food into that hell hole! There are creatures bigger than you and I in there and they have no problem eating you for breakfast, lunch, snack, brunch, supper, and dinner! So I suggest unless you want to be Canyon Crawler fodder than you listen to the man!" she shouted, "Can you please put me down now?"

The canyon guide smiled and laughed as he bended her back down to solid ground. "You don't mind if I use that in the next tour speech do you?"

"By all means my man, whatever it takes", Ava laughed as she patted the tour guides shoulder before walking into the canyon.

They had reached a point where there was no path and the earthbending tour guide used his skills to make one. Aang was in awe of the power and Ava smiled to herself. She was anxious to see him learn the other three elements. The tour guide paused for a moment and explained how the canyon was formed, part of his job description and teased the group about hoping how they would have sacrifices to appease the Earth spirits who created the canyon to begin with. Within seconds a rock slide happened that the tour guide easily maneuvered out of their way with a jest about how the Earth spirits were still angry about not having proper sacrifices. The tour guide then ruined their path so that the Fire Nation would not follow but opened it up for a Canyon Crawler.

Ava's eyes grew big as she saw the old man picked up by the hairy overgrown insect began swaying him back and forth. Sokka stepped in and used his boomerang to distract the creature long enough to toss the tour guide aside and began to run when the monster went after him. Katara used her water whip to keep the creature from capturing her brother but dodged out of the way when it had little effect on it. Aang began to use his airbending to push the Crawler away from their party and Ava pulled out her sword to kill it. She climbed up it's back and struck the kill spot on it that she had found a few years before from one of her adventures in the canyon. She slit it's throat when it became immobile. Aang shook his head as he walked away.

"What is your problem?" Ava spat out as she sheathed her weapon.

"You know I do not approve of violence in any fashion or form whether it be against man or beast", he mumbled.

"So you would have rather I let him kill us while you figured out a peaceful solution?" She huffed back.

"Are they actually arguing?" Sokka whispered to his sister.

"I didn't think it was possible that they would but yeah…", Katra whispered back and then decided it was best to tell the group the horrible news, "The tour guide broke both of his arms."

"So you mean that we are stuck in here….forever?" Aang moaned as he began to walk away.

"Yeah just walk away…that's going to help", Ava hissed as she walked over to the tour guide and began to help Katara bandage the man's arms. She didn't care for the evil glare that she received from her Avatar. She was still upset about his comment.

"I thought the whole point of dumping our food was so that we didn't have to deal with things like that…", Sokka pointed out.

"Canyon Crawlers, they don't attack unless there is food", Ava stood up and looked at both tribes knowing that her companions and lover would never risk people's lives over something so trivial.

The elder leader of the Gan Jin began to accuse the Zhangs of bringing food into the canyon. The tribes began to get into it again when Aang became fed up with everything. He jumped onto a high plateau and explained that both tribes would travel on either side of the plateau. He then assigned Katara with the Gan Jins and Sokka with the Zhangs. He wanted to know what the feud was about. He asked Ava but she stated that during the time with the Zhangs they never mentioned why they were mortal enemies with the Gan Jins.

As night fell the Chalice and the Avatar sat atop the plateau overlooking both tribes. Aang sighed signaling a response from his soul mate.

"What's wrong?" Ava whispered.

"I really wish we could be down there with a fire and stories to tell, but you obviously wouldn't have much to do with me. I know you hate me for everything that's happened", he mumbled.

"Why would you think I hate you?" the Chalice was surprised by her lover's comment.

"Your comment about running away…", he hinted.

"I was hoping you didn't hear me say that. I was angry because you didn't like how I handled a situation that saved everyone. We are stuck in a canyon where our airbending skills can't really help anyone but ourselves. I admit I do have unresolved issues about you leaving, but now is DEFINITELY not the time to work them out", she snuggled up under his chin and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I am not the woman you left behind, please be patient as I try to relearn things that I have not practiced in years."

"It was my fault that you had to renounce them. I shouldn't have judged you like that. I admit I am still a little shaken by the tenacity you used to kill the pirate captain. You'll have to forgive me as well. I'm stuck in an age where I think our way of thinking is antique and frowned upon in this age", he frowned as he held her close, "The only thing I have left from that time is you, even though you are not the same, you are still MY Ava."

"Thank you", she snuggled into his embrace, "I needed to have you with me again. I am sure Buhmi would have had me committed soon."

"Over my dead body", the Avatar laughed as he held her to him as tightly as what he deemed comfortable for her. He inhaled her scent and was happy that he was not alone in this endeavor.

"I am starving though", Ava whispered.

"Me too…too bad no one could bring food into the canyon", he sighed.

"Oh my love, you are still too trusting of people", she laughed as she pulled away, "Canyon Crawlers only attack when they smell food, someone brought something in here… I can assure you of that."

"Great…just when you think you trust strangers…", the Avatar settled in and readjusted his lover so that they were both comfortable sleeping sitting up.

"You will learn. Hopefully without any consequence…", the Chalice yawned as she closed her eyes.

"You are the only one who vexes me…", Aang smiled as he rested his chin atop his soul mate's head.

"Good play, my darling…good play…..", Ava whispered as she fell asleep against her lover's chest.

The next morning the Avatar and his Chalice were walking along the plateau with the tour guide, watching to make sure both tribes met at the end of landscape separating them. The tour guide assured them that they were almost to the opposite end of the canyon. Aang asked the siblings about why the people weren't getting along, something about two men, a sacred orb, and someone being accused of or stealing something. Aang was annoyed the time apart for the siblings only caused a rift. Katara sided with the Gan Jins and Sokka sided with the Zhangs. He only shook his head and signaled his lover to follow him as they made their way to the wall at the base of the canyon.

He asked both tribes to comply and put their heads together to figure out a way of getting themselves out of the canyon. Neither tribe was willing to compromise or come up with a solution so that EVERYONE was able to get out. It was then that Aang said the wrong thing at the wrong moment. "How many times must I say that harsh words won't solve anything only action will!"

"Aang!" Ava shouted and put her hand on her shoulder. She looked over to the fighting match that the both leaders of both tribes had started based off of his loosely explained advise.

"Oh no…", Aang dropped his head in shame.

"Handle it", she urged him.

Aang used his airbending skills to separate the two tribes, but when he did so, it made their belongings fall out. It was then that Ava's words rang true. Food fell out of both companies' clothes. Aang was infuriated. "Are you kidding me!?"

"Aang…", Ava tried to calm her Avatar down before he hit his Avatar state.

"You both smuggled food into here…you risked all of our lives because you didn't know how to go a day without food!"

"Aang….", Ava began to look up and see that a lot of Canyon Crawlers were making their way down to the canyon floor.

"WHAT?" Aang ordered, until he saw his lover's eyes looking up. "SERIOUSLY?"

"We barely survived one Canyon Crawler!" Sokka pointed out about the previous engagement.

"There's no way that I can kill them all", Ava answered the look her lover looked at her.

"Where's the kill spot?" Aang hated the words coming out of his mouth.

"My love….", Ava smiled and surprisingly Aang followed her train of thought. They could use these monsters to get everyone out of the canyon.

They took a creature down using the brown sack from one of the tribes' food sacks that they had smuggled in to keep the mouth closed and used a piece of food to lure it up the wall. They began to yell to everyone to follow their lead and the Gan Jins and the Zhangs actually cooperated. Once everyone was up top the two tribes began at each other again.

"Wait are you talking about Wei Jin and Jin Wei?" Ava questioned looking at her lover.

He smiled, "Yeah I remember those two…is that what the feud is all about?"

Both leaders questioned what they were talking about.

"They were more like eight years old and brothers…twins", Ava started.

"Yeah we remember them. It was a game they were playing, Jin Wei wasn't put in prison, he was put in time out because he caused a foul in the game called Redemption. It wasn't a sacred orb, it was a ball…..", Aang smiled and acted like he knew what he was talking about.

"A game?" both leaders asked.

"We are the Avatar and Chalice. We have lived for over a hundred years…you think we don't know what happened back that far?" Ava acted like she was getting annoyed.

Appa walked up with the Zhang's sick and the Gan Jin's old. The elderly man who knew Ava from when he was a child advised his tribe that the Queen of Hope knew what she was talking about. He explained how she looked exactly how she looked almost seventy years ago. The Gan Jin's took to heart what was being told seeing as how their ancestors spoke of a goddess who was vengeful against the Fire Nation and turned from their tribe when she was denied help. Ava looked like the goddess they spoke of. Both tribes decided to travel together to Bai Sing Se. They said their goodbyes and took off into the distance.

Ava and Aang began to laugh hysterically with each other while the Water Tribe siblings looked on in confusion. When they finished laughing they explained that they had made the whole story up about Wei Jin and Jin Wei. The siblings began to laugh as well.


End file.
